We fought, the government gave in
In 1996, S Jagannathan, an octogenarian Gandhian activist filed a PIL in the Supreme Court against extensive shrimp farming. Jagannathan won a significant victory when the Court directed that no shrimp culture pond can be constructed or set up within the coastal regulation zone as defined in the CRZ notification under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. They ordered demolition of existing ponds. The court also ordered the Union government to constitute an authority to protect the ecologically fragile coastal areas, sea shore and water front. The court order, he contends are yet to be complied with even a decade later.
Jagannathan, 97 today, is not able to speak coherently now because of old age. Krishnammal, his wife, speaks about the ups and downs of the anti-shrimp struggle.
When did you start the campaign against the shrimp industry?
In 1991, during a yatra in Sirkali taluk, villagers of Perunthottam, a big village with 3000 families narrated how Shrimp farming had taken away their land and livelihood. Drinking water was salinated. Many villagers had to migrate due to the loss of livelihood. Moved by their plight we started the movement.
Is livelihood loss your only reason for being against shrimp industries?
Livelihood loss has a lot to do with the land being used otherwise. In Sirkali, 49 per cent of people are agricultural labourers. With agricultre in wane they began protesting. Fisherfolk lost traditional rights over the coast. Then the prawn blocked rainwater exit routes to sea causing floods.
How did the struggle go?
We conducted numerous satyagrahas from 1992 to 1997. On August 9, 1996, we decided to capture the farm located in Vanagiri village, Sirkali taluk, allegedly owned by Sasikala, a close aide of former chief minister, J Jayalalitha. So it was a direct confrontation with the government. Most of our leaders had been arrested three days earlier and 3000 police personnel brought in by the administration. In Cuddalore they gave some powder to the protesters, which caused diarrhoea. They were in the hospital all the time. After the release three people died and many people continued to be sick for a very long time. They kept Jagannathan in isolation and after his condition deteriorated released him. Those were tough times.
The Supreme Court case and judgment