“Don’t turn us into Athipatti” | Pattinapakkam fishing community reacts to new TN secretariat

Tamil Nadu’s proposed Assembly-cum-Secretariat complex in Chennai’s Pattinapakkam has raised serious concerns among local fishing communities.

The government has identified around 25 acres for the proposed project, but residents of Pattinapakkam’s fishing villages question the ownership of the land and say it has a long history linked to their community.

Residents recall how fishing families were moved decades ago and argue that they were never displaced even after the 2004 tsunami. Now, they fear the proposed complex could threaten their homes, livelihoods, access to the sea and community spaces.

Who owns the Pattinapakkam land? What happened to the promises made to fishing families decades ago? And why are residents opposing the proposed Assembly-Secretariat complex?

Watch the full story to understand the history of the land and the concerns of Pattinapakkam’s fishing communities.