Pulicat fishermen urge TN, Andhra Govts. to delineate fishing grounds using GPS

Declared a protected area in 1980, Pulicat is spread over 720 sq km. of which 84% falls in Andhra Pradesh and 16% in Tamil Nadu. (Photo file) | Photo credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Fishermen from Pulicat – from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh – urged the respective state governments to mark the respective fishing grounds using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as soon as possible.

At a joint meeting held in Tiruvallur district on Saturday, attended by fishermen, MLAs and officials from Sulurpetta in Andhra Pradesh and Tiruvallur, fishermen representing 25 fishing villages that depend on the brackish water lake that stretches across the two states said they could no longer depend on palmyras stored as tree trunks. Tree trunks rot as they stand in salt water, and disputes could arise when new trunks are placed.

Sources said that after violent incidents in April 2014, when fishermen from Andhra Pradesh set fire to houses, boats, nets and engines in Chinna Mangodu village in Pulicat in retaliation following a dispute over fishing boundaries, Tamil Nadu men refrained from fishing in Andhra Pradesh-controlled waters.

“We have put in strict control and very rarely anyone would fish in these areas. A total of 199 police cases are still pending against men from fishing villages in Tamil Nadu. We want the dispute to be settled once and for all. Fishermen from both the states are protesting and submitting petitions to the respective district administrations,” said a source in the know.

After hearing both sides, Tiruvallur District Collector S. Kavitha and Tirupathi Additional Collector R. Govinda Rao decided that the current system of fishing will continue until the respective governments take notice.

Fishing community leader Durai Mahendran said GPS tagging should be done as soon as possible. “Fishermen are suffering because of this. Clear marking of fishing grounds would bring peace to the villages. Cases involving men should also be withdrawn,” he added.

Published – 27 Sep 2026 23:10 IST