While the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP) will help in easing the commute of Mumbaikars but it is also affecting the livelihood of the fishermen community. To compensate for this, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to give out INR 11 crore to 184 fishermen.
A big portion of MCRP, ranging about 10.98 km, passes through Lotus Jetty in Worli. At Worli, one of the traffic interchanges is being set up. Members of the artisanal fishing community anchored their boats at the Lotus Jetty.As construction works began into the sea, the fishes moved deep into the sea. This led fishermen to sail deep into the sea as well. In 2021, BMC appointed the Tata Institute Of Social Sciences (TISS) to identify all the impacts on the community from this project.
According to BMC authorities, a total of 1,343 members who have participated in fishing-related activities since 2018 will receive remuneration. A provision of INR 136 crore has been set aside for them specifically from the project's INR 12,721 crore budget.The municipal corporation first sent a list of eligible candidates to the state government’s fisheries department. Approval for the same was sought. "The first list has 184 qualifiers, who will each receive INR 11 crore. We are currently reviewing the details of the 336 individuals on the second approved list and we are scrutinizing their details before deciding on the compensation amount," said a senior official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The compensation for loss of livelihood has been divided into four categories by TISS. There won't be a set payment sum for the four categories. For instance, fishermen who use diesel cylinders or single cylinders in their boats, compared to those who utilize multiple-cylinder boats will receive a different remuneration.
According to BMC officials, there are many flaws in the second list. The names of a candidate are spelled differently on their Aadhar Cards and PAN Cards. In the second list, there are several candidates whose names mentioned in government identity cards do not match with names in bank accounts as well.
The official continued, "The payment for the first 184 candidates will be distributed from ending of this month; hence, we need to be completely sure about the names and details in bank accounts before disbursing the finances, as it is vital for the affected folks.”
The spokesperson of the Vanchit Macchimar Association, Sanjai Baikar said that the community men are facing difficulties in anchoring their boats and TISS had given them assurance that authorities will help them out on this issue. He is also happy for all the fishermen as BMC decided to offer a compensation amount. He said, "It's great that BMC is paying the compensation, but TISS had suggested that the government will build up a plan that would allow us to store more than 100 boats at the jetty. However, they are not following this instruction, and as a result, we are currently in a predicament while mooring our boats at the jetty."On Monday, August 21, the BMC initiated steps to clear the boat parking area at Haji Ali's Jetty. To make room for the ongoing Coastal Road Project, at least five fishing boats were taken out. The cooperative society Vanchit Machhimar Haji Ali Sahkari Sangathana Maryadit (VMHASSM) has the boats' registration information.
One large vessel, known as the Sagar Masa, purportedly sustained significant damage during the removal procedure. Hence, the fishermen are protesting against the authorities.Fishermen are allowed to anchor their boats in the water, according to the BMC. The fishermen, though, don't agree. They claim that in order to conduct business, dry ground is required.
The issues that the fishermen are bringing up do not involve just parking but also assert that the Coastal Road project has encroached on territory that was being utilized for common purposes, such as drying boats, sorting fish, and mending fishing nets. Their businesses will suffer as a result of this loss of space.
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