In February 2007, the residents of Pondicherry began the fight for the life of their unique town. They did not want to suffer the environmental, economic and social damages of having a large, deep water commercial port right in the middle of this exquisite French heritage town – a town which attracts tourists and visitors from all over India and the world. The Government of Puducherry had signed over precious prime seafront property just south of the French boulevard town area of Pondicherry, to Pondicherry Port Limited (PPL) (a joint venture between Subhash Projects Marketing Limited (SPML) and Om Metals Limited (OML)), without going through the proper tender process mandated by the Government of India. In addition, the Puducherry Government was going to give PPL 150 acres of agricultural land at throw away lease prices, allow them to block off an estuary, and reclaim land from the sea by using sea sand meant for the town’s beaches.
The proposed port will be a total ecological disaster. The Pondicherry coast has already been devastated by an existing small harbour, built in the late 1980s. A new port (20 times larger than the existing harbour) would greatly increase the on-going erosion of the coast, flood the town during heavy rains (as the natural wetlands would be filled up), and the air and water pollution from the harbour would affect the entire heritage town. The people’s concern was voiced loud and clear. Unfortunately, only three concessions were made by the Government of Puducherry: 1) that the additional 150 acres would not be acquired, 2) the estuary would not be blocked and 3) the port would not be allowed to handle coal and iron ore.
Despite the pleas of the citizens of Pondicherry to stop the development of a port in the middle of a small town and to restore an already badly eroded coastline, the Government is determined to move forward with this corrupt development. However, a lone individual, of great resolve, has filed a PIL at the Madras High Court and is now in the Supreme Court objecting to this violation of the public trust.
C.H. Balamohan needs all the support and help he can get to save Pondicherry, not only to preserve the last remnants of this heritage town as “Peaceful Pondicherry” but also to safeguard it from the onslaught of the sea which is eating away at its very foundations in the absence of the beaches along its coastline.
If you would like to help or would like more details, please contact Pondicherry People’s Protection Committee.
Email: pondyppc@gmail.com
Telephone: (0) 94432 57770
Save Our Beach 