Fisherfolk stage dharna

Visakhapatnam: Demanding ST status, a large number of fishermen led by community leaders staged a dharna at Bheemili beach displaying their nets and baskets on Sunday. The fishermen from various fishermen villages, including Yeguvapeta, Boyaveedhi, Uppada and Annavaram were present, and raised slogans demanding ST status to the community.

Addressing a gathering, ST Sadsana Samithi leader B Neelakantam said that samithi is agitating on various modes, including relay hunger strike for the past 26 days, but there is no response from the government.

The government insulting the fishermen by not disclosing its stand on the fishermen demand, they lamented. The samithi decided to intensify the agitation. Later, the agitators staged the dharna at the four roads junction in Bheemili market area. They also stopped the vehicular traffic for half an hour.