Unbhat villagers oppose rehabilitation

The rehabilitation of fishermen displaced by the Tarapur power project to the nearby Unbhat village has been opposed by locals,who have intervened in an ongoing case before the Bombay High Court.

Arguing for the villagers of Unbhat on Tuesday,lawyer K N Kore told a Division Bench of Justice B H Marlapalle and Justice Nishita Mhatre that the rehabilitation in the village could lead to breach of peace as it would lead to conflicts in which the fishermen are involved.

The lawyer also claimed that there is a proposal to allot the land on which the fishermen have been rehabilitated to the Air Force. The villagers also claimed that the region around the village,which is located in Palghar taluka in Thane,is not suitable for the fishermen to pursue their traditional profession. The sea near the village is very shallow and there is no natural port close by. It is not at all conducive for fishing, Kore said.

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The residents of Unbhat village made this intervention in a petition filed by the fishermen,who have been displaced by the atomic power project at Tarapur. The fishermen have gone to court demanding a better rehabilitation package,which will enable them to continue their traditional occupation without difficulty.

In a previous hearing on September 8,a Division Bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice R G Ketkar,which was hearing the matter,had observed that rehabilitation of the fishermen does not merely involve giving them houses.

The judges had asked the state government to ensure the preservation of their livelihood and culture.

The case will now be heard on October 19.

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