Live
- Hyderabad Metro receives IGBC Green Existing MRTS Platinum certification
- World Bank team lauds edn dept for transformative efforts
- SIPB approves Rs 85,000 cr investments
- AP Assembly session: Eighth day meeting begins with question hour
- Facial recognition attendance system in TG Secretariat soon
- Nearly 6,000 contract employees whose services were regularised get relief in HC
- VIT celebrates 40th anniversary
- Bandi Sanjay reviews ‘Sampoorna Abhiyan’ in Nagaland
- A brain dead person saves four as his organs donated
- SRR students excel in various competitions
Is fishing ban a curse for fisherfolk?
Conservation might be good for marine life and those who mint money from it. But it became a curse to the thousands of workers who have been depending on it for their livelihood. As a part of the policy, the government imposed conservation for a period of 61 days beginning from April 15 to June 14 midnight restricting mechanised boats and trawlers from venturing into the sea. Catamarans have been
Visakhapatnam: Conservation might be good for marine life and those who mint money from it. But it became a curse to the thousands of workers who have been depending on it for their livelihood. As a part of the policy, the government imposed conservation for a period of 61 days beginning from April 15 to June 14 midnight restricting mechanised boats and trawlers from venturing into the sea. Catamarans have been exempted.
Highlights:
- Not a rupee paid so far
- 5,000 workers depend on fishing
There are about 700 mechansied boats anchored at Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour and 35,000 people depend on fishing both directly and indirectly. Around 5,000 workers are directly associated with deep-sea fishing.The government announced Rs 4,000 per each fisherman family as the compensation towards conservation period. Though it is a small amount for a family of four, the fishermen never protested against it. But shockingly, not a rupee has been paid so far though 12 days have passed since the ban came into
The boat owner has to furnish Aadhaar number, bank account, his boat licence number to the fisheries department who in turn forward it to the government for the release of the funds. “We have furnished all the documents as sought by the fisheries department but none of the workers has received the money so far,” said president of Vaisakha Dolphin Boat Owners Welfare Association Ch Satyanreayana Murthy.
The amount is far less than what is being given to fishermen of Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. Even the small amount is not being released, Murthy said. A senior fisherman of Peda Jalarpeta Vasupalle Suryam said every year the money comes late almost towards end of the ban period.
“The fishermen never staged protest against conservation since it is good for them also. But what they want is better subsistence allowance to eke out living. A few people had gone for autorickshaw driving and some for daily wage work, but many are sitting home with no money,’’ Murthy said.
By KMP Patnaik
