Kollam: The Fisheries Coordination Committee has initiated a coastal hartal on Thursday to protest against the controversial practice of sea sand mining. The protest, which will continue until 6 pm, aims to draw attention to the environmental and economic concerns surrounding sand extraction from Kerala’s coastal waters.
According to committee chairman and KPCC working president T N Prathapan, the hartal has been designed to minimize disruption to public life. Shops will remain open, and vehicles will not be blocked. However, port operations will be suspended, and the sale of fish will be halted throughout the day as part of the protest.
The fishing industry is a vital pillar of Kerala’s economy, directly employing around 2.5 lakh people while supporting an additional 15 lakh individuals indirectly. With approximately 4,000 trawling boats and over 25,000 other fishing vessels operating in the state, any ecological imbalance caused by large-scale sand mining could have severe consequences for marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
The protest highlights growing concerns over environmental degradation and unsustainable resource extraction. Fishermen and activists argue that unchecked sand mining could lead to coastal erosion, disrupt marine habitats, and threaten the long-term sustainability of the fishing sector. The Fisheries Coordination Committee has urged authorities to take immediate steps to regulate sand mining and protect the livelihoods of thousands dependent on the sea.
