An agricultural worker displays cotton damaged by unseasonal rains in Alathur panchayat, Tirumarugal.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Nagapattinam, an ancient port town with a layered history of cultural confluence — from the Nagore dargah to Dutch remnants and traces of early Buddhist viharas — faces a paradox. Despite its legacy and strategic coastal location, underdevelopment, fragile livelihoods, and mounting migration driven by a lack of opportunities have become its hallmark.
R.M.P. Rajendra Nattar, president of the Indian National Fishermen Union, said the concerns of the sizeable fishing community remain largely unaddressed in electoral politics. He pointed to a range of intersecting crises — natural calamities, persistent coastal erosion, conflicts between mechanised trawlers and small-scale fishers, and recurring tensions with Sri Lanka leading to arrests and boat seizures. “There has been a decline in fish catch in recent months,” he said.
Published – March 22, 2026 09:34 pm IST
