Chennai, India
With palm-fringed beaches, turquoise seas, and coral reefs, it is easy to see the appeal of India’s Lakshadweep islands. But as the government pushes plans to develop the remote archipelago as a tourist hub, some islanders fear they could lose everything.
Anger has erupted over proposals that could give officials powers to remove or relocate residents to make way for tourism, luxury housing, and deep sea mining projects in the islands, which lie 300 miles off India’s southwestern coast.
“For generations we have lived quiet lives, rarely protesting policies created in the mainland. . But if they take away my land and home, where will we all go?” fisherman Sakariya, who uses one name, said by phone.