Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 11: A delegation of fishermen led by Nadoja Dr G Shankar met Karnataka chief minister (CM), B S Yediyurappa, and urged him to meet the demands put forth by the fisher folk of the state, who are facing dire straits on account of fish famine.

While thanking the chief minister for making unique contributions towards the welfare of the fishermen along with providing good administration in the state, Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajan Sangha, on this occasion, expressed gratefulness to him. The fishermen pointed out that diesel subsidy amount towards fuel used for fishing has not been credited to the accounts of the fishermen since the last five months. They asked him to direct the officials to credit this amount by the fifth of every month. They also demanded formation of an expert committee to implement an integrated new polity relating to fishing. "Under Matsyashtraya scheme, no houses have been sanctioned to fishermen since two years," they said and requested that the needful should be done at the earliest.

Besides demanding to complete works undertaken by the central government which have got stranded midway, they demanded sanction of special relief of Rs 25 lac to each of the seven fishermen who lost their lives in the Suvarna Tribhuja boat tragedy. They also asked the government to include several sub-castes under scheduled tribes by pressurizing the central government. The delegation also sought reservation for at least ten members for the fishermen to pursue fishing courses in the fisheries college.

The other demands spelt out through the memorandum are special grant for rejuvenation of fisheries cooperative societies, special subsidy for dry fish vendors to acquire solar driers, exempting subsidized diesel from road tax provisions, provide enough grants for break water construction and development, increase diesel limit for fishing boats from the current 300 litres to 400 litres, and bring the system of taking into account annual use instead of monthly use of diesel now.

They also wanted 400 litres of duty free kerosene for country boat fishing at the rate of 400 litres per boat. They also sought engine subsidy for use for fishing. The demand to waive fishermen's loans was also requested to be extended to cooperative banks just like nationalized banks.

Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana Sangha Uchila president Jaya C Kotian, said that the delegation met fisheries minister, in-charge minsters of coastal districts, MPs and MLAs under the leadership of Nadoja Dr G Shankar and they were urged to meet these demands.