Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 3 Leader of Opposition in the Keralam Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday alleged that the Maritime Board (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed by the UDF government was a threat to the fishing community.
Vijayan made the allegation while inaugurating a day-night protest outside the state secretariat here seeking withdrawal of the Bill.
He claimed that the legislation was a threat to the over 10 lakh people residing in the 222 fishing villages in the state.
The LoP also termed it as a “conspiracy” to oust the fishing community from their lands and sell it to big corporates.
The CPI(M)-led LDF opposition had objected to the Bill in the assembly and had boycotted the House proceedings in connection with the legislation.
The Bill provides for restructuring the state Maritime Board, setting up a Maritime Land Bank and an enforcement wing, and revising contracts for 17 port projects.
While the opposition had alleged in the Assembly that the provisions would threaten the livelihood and traditional rights of fishing communities, facilitate corporate control of ports and place coastal land at the disposal of private players, Chief Minister V D Satheesan had maintained that the amendments were necessary to attract investment and accelerate port-led development.
(PTI News)
