‘Fisherfolk protest against national interest’

MUMBAI: Thirty fisherfolk from Uran Koliwada have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody for opposing the construction of the Uran Bypass Bridge, which they say will affect the livelihoods of at least 137 fishermen and allied workers. The bridge is being built by the by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).

The Uran judicial magistrate said that the project is one of “national interest”, and that the accused have been arrested for “creating danger to the nation.” An FIR has been filed against 20 men and 10 women, under sections 353, 341, 143, 141, 186, 109, and 506 (read with) 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. The fisherfolk were produced before the JMFC Court, Uran, and remanded to judicial custody until February 20. Their bail hearing will be held on Monday, February 13, at the District and Sessions Court at Panvel.

The arrests were made after hundreds of residents of Uran Koliwada gathered peacefully at the project site on the morning of February 7, to protest the Uran Bypass Bridge as well as the larger destruction of their customary fishing grounds by multiple land-owning agencies (primarily CIDCO, JNPA and NMSEZ) over decades.

Mohit Koli, who lives in Uran Koliwada, said, “Work on the bridge had slowed down after the Bombay High Court put a stay on the project in July last year. But on the night of February 6, CIDCO’s contractor started reclaiming land from the Uran Creek at a very fast pace. This is a violation of the HC order, which is why we started our protest on February 7.” Seven of Koli’s relatives, who were also present at the site, are in custody. His uncle Dilip Koli, who has filed a writ petition against the project in the high court, is the first accused named in the FIR and remand order. “This is a clear misuse of power by the state to suppress the voices of marginalised communities,” said Nandakumar Pawar, chairman, Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fishworker’s Union.

HT PHOTO Fisherfolk claim they were protesting peacefully. They say the bridge will destroy their fishing ground.