Author: Pioneer News Service
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: September 4, 2012
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/home/online-channel/360-todays-newspaper/92128-pcs-wife-son-accused-of-land-grab-by-fishermen.html

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram is in trouble again with more than 500 fishermen from the Karikattukuppam village in the East Coast Road near Chennai complaining to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa that the former’s family members have grabbed Government land.

 “Nalini Chidambaram and Karti P Chidambaram, wife and son of Chidambaram have grabbed the Government poramboke and grazing lands abutting the Muttukadu backwaters. They have built a high compound wall making it difficult for the fishermen to go to sea for their livelihood,” Jayapalayan, president, South Indian Federation of Fishermen Societies (SIFFS), told The Pioneer.

 “We submitted a complaint to the Chief Minister, City Police Commissioner and other Government officials on Monday. The livelihood of more than 500 families have been threatened by the action of the Chidambaram family,” said Jayapalayan.

 He said more than 12 acres of prime property have been grabbed by the family members of the Union Finance Minister. “The compound wall has been built violating the Coastal Regulation Zone Act. Though we had complained to the authorities long back about the land grab, the then Government ignored the same,”said Jayapalayan.

 Sources said that the Chidambarams were planning to construct a super deluxe hotel at Muttukadu, which lies along the Bay of Bengal. “It is prime property abutting the beach. Though theprevious State administration had given the go-ahead  for construction, it got delayed for some reason or the other,” they said.Palani, a fisherman, said though they had demolished a part of the compound wall twice, the Union Minister’s family rebuilt the same. “In the past, some of the police officials had warned us against antagonising the Chidambarams,” he said.