Fishermen seek fair representation in Colachel constituency

The Colachel assembly constituency plays a significant role in Kanniyakumari district’s political landscape due to its sizable population of fishermen and other small-scale workers.

Colachel, one of the municipalities predominantly occupied by fishermen population, has a great cultural and historic heritage. It is widely known for the ‘Battle of Colachel,’ fought between the Travancore Kingdom and Dutch East India company. It is to be noted that it is the first victory of Asians over European force.

Despite representing a significant number of fishing population, one of the prolonged demands of the community is inadequate representation in local bodies, attributed to the last local body delimitation exercise held in Tamil Nadu.

Johnson, a resident of Colachel said, “The Colachel municipality has a total of 24 wards, of which 12 were earlier represented by fishermen. However, after the delimitation exercise only seven wards were allocated to fishermen, affecting the community’s representation at the municipal level.”

He added that the voter distribution has become uneven. In the seven, fishermen dominated wards, around 1,200 to 1,600 voters are listed in each ward, whereas in some wards, the number ranges between 400 and 500 voters.

Mr. Johnson emphasised that necessary measures must be taken to revise the delimitation, as many fishermen localities in the municipality are struggling to secure development works in their respective wards.

Chandra Bose, a resident of Muttom also echoed the similar concern, adding that the needs and demands of residents of coastal villages and inland areas are different and the government must recognise these differences.

He also noted that Mutton beach has significant tourism potential, due to its unique rocky landscape, which could be developed to increase the local body revenue and benefit of fishermen.

J.G.Prince of India National Congress has been serving as the elected MLA from the constituency since 2011. However, during his third term, residents have raised multiple concerns, with many expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of projects implemented in the constituency.

However, for the forthcoming election, Congress party has announced incumbent Vilavancode MLA Tharahai Cuthbert as its candidate for Colachel constituency. As a candidate with a background in the fishing community, her nomination has been welcomed by local residents, with many expressing confidence in her prospects even before the filing of nominations.

Joseph Stalin, president, Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board, said that several major fishing infrastructure projects have been initiated in Colachel constituency including extension of Colachel fishing harbour and establishment of new fishing harbour in Vaniyakudi,each at an estimated cost of ₹150 crore in the first phase.

He added that comparing to the previous AIADMK government several projects were developed for the fishermen of Colachel constituency, noting that the distance between Colachel and Vaniyakudi is around only five kilometers, yet new harbour work has started due to the demand of fishermen, as currently they depend on harbours in Kerala to dock their boats.

Anish, a resident of Mandaikkadu highlighted the need for the maintenance of AVM canal in the constituency, which prevents saltwater intrusion into the coastal villages.

Selvam Britto, an autorickshaw driver from Neyoor highlighted the poor condition of roads across many villages in the constituency. “In many areas, roads leading to villages are narrow, with water bodies or agricultural lands on both sides. In this condition, if these roads are damaged, it poses a serious danger to motorists.”

A.Wins Anto, Chairman, Kodhayar Irrigation Committee, also a resident of Mulagumoodu in the constituency, pointed out that, like any other parts in Kanniyakumari district, a significant section of population this constituency depends on agriculture, particularly on coconut and banana cultivation, with a smaller extent of paddy farming.

He added that many irrigation canals in the region have been affected by NHAI’s four-lane works and requires urgent desilting and restoration. Canal such as Eraniel canal, along with irrigation tanks, serve as crucial water sources for agriculture and must be properly maintained.

Mr. Anto also stressed the need to keep roads across the constituency free of potholes, as poor road conditions continue to pose risk to commuters and hinder daily activities.

While several initiatives have been undertaken, persistent issues such as inadequate representation, poor road conditions and neglect of irrigation system continue to affect the daily lives of residents of the constituency.

Published – April 04, 2026 10:04 pm IST