Mangaluru: Fishermen, represented by the Karnataka Karavali Janabhivriddhi Vedike in Mangaluru, plan to meet with CM Siddaramaiah regarding concerns about the proposed Honnavar Port Private Limited.

They argue that the port poses a threat to the livelihoods of over 23,500 fisherfolk. The group intends to request the CM’s intervention to dismiss false cases filed against fishermen in early January and to allow democratic forms of protest.

The vedike will also present a fact-finding report on the issue to the CM. Rajani Rao, a vedike member, emphasized the key demand for the demarcation of private land from ‘portland,’ alleging that the land for both the port and the road is not entirely government-owned, as claimed.

She pointed out that the Coastal Zone Management Plan map of 2019 excludes five villages—Kasarkod Tonka, Tonka, Pavinkurva, Mallukurva, and Honnava rural. These areas have a significant female population involved in the fish drying industry, playing a crucial role across the supply chain.

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