Chennai, Sep 19 : The fishermen community have strongly voiced their protest against the construction of a private port in the Pulicat area. They warned that the construction would lead to the death of the Pulicat lake, a brackish water lake. The fishermen community has already given a memorandum to Union Minister of State for Fisheries and animal husbandry and Information and Broadcasting, L. Murugan on the construction of the private port. The minister while on a visit to the Pulicat area had met the leaders of the Fishermen community who were protesting against the construction of the private port at the lake. The representatives from villages along the lake said that opening the bar mouth where sea water entered and exited the lake was important for its survival and wanted the bar mouth to be kept open permanently and objected to the construction of a private port that would kill the lake. S. Moorthy, a resident of the area, who is into traditional fishing and lives along the Pulicat lake told IANS, "We are in protest against the construction of a private port in the area and have voiced our strong objection to Union Minister of State for Fisheries, L. Murgan. If the government is not stalling the construction of the port, we will announce our next course of action." The fishermen community instead requested the minister to take steps for the construction of a fishing harbour in the area. Murugan, according to the fishermen leaders, informed them that if the state government moots a proposal for the construction of a fishing harbour, the Central government would study the same and take appropriate action. The minister informed the fishermen that the Central government would take steps to provide housing to them under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna. Kisan cards will also be issued to fishermen, the minister said. /IANS