Fishermen residing in North Chennai on Friday opposed the laying of a 17km pipeline for transport of crude oil from the Chennai port to Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL), Manali. The state-owned CPCL has proposed laying of the pipeline at a depth of 15 feet along the coast at a cost of 1,500 crores. Fishermen are worried that the pipeline that will run through fishing hamlets could threaten their livelihood.
Indian Fisherman Association president M D Dayalan said, "A leak in the pipeline could be disastrous. Leaked oil could pollute groundwater and the degrade soil quality. Even worse, it could seep into the sea bed and destroy marine life." Fishermen said they were already forced to fish on the Andhra coast as the resource has dwindled on the city coast.
Old pipelines of CPCL, laid in 1966, were carrying about 25 lakh tonnes of crude oil shipped to Chennai from abroad. With crude oil demand rising to 105 lakh tonnes, CPCL has proposed the initiative. Fishermen, at a public hearing attended by the Chennai collector and CPCL officials two months ago, had requested that the proposed construction be dropped.
Indian Fisherman Association president M D Dayalan said, "A leak in the pipeline could be disastrous. Leaked oil could pollute groundwater and the degrade soil quality. Even worse, it could seep into the sea bed and destroy marine life." Fishermen said they were already forced to fish on the Andhra coast as the resource has dwindled on the city coast.
Old pipelines of CPCL, laid in 1966, were carrying about 25 lakh tonnes of crude oil shipped to Chennai from abroad. With crude oil demand rising to 105 lakh tonnes, CPCL has proposed the initiative. Fishermen, at a public hearing attended by the Chennai collector and CPCL officials two months ago, had requested that the proposed construction be dropped.