Mumbai: The local fishermen community in Mumbai the Metropolitan Region plan to raise a range of issues with Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal husbandry and Dairy, Parshottam Rupala on Monday.
The demands include curb on LED purse seine fishing net in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), illegal fishing, rebate on electricity and subsidy on diesel, relaxation of loan, group insurance and fishing councils among other things.
Sagar Parikrama
Rupala, who is on phase-III of Sagar Parikrama, is scheduled to be in the metropolitan region from Gujarat tomorrow and will end at Sassoon Dock in city. The objective of the Parikrama is to disseminate information of various fisheries, protecting and developing policy for fishers and the coastal security of the nation.
"We want the permission for fishing in the EEZ to be regulated. Rich people who are buying and keeping big ships in the deep sea are getting into business and using nets that endanger the fishes," said Bernard D'Mello, working president of the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti (AMMKS) that claims state wide representation. He added, "We look to take up the issue of rebate with the minister for the ice factory or fishing storage. Right now it is 40 paise per unit and we want it to be up to Rs 4 per unit. The present one has been around for a long time."
A number of demands these fishermen demand is the benefits that farmers get in Maharashtra. These included having co-operative and a council, group insurance schemes, waivers to loans and higher loan amount, quicker release of subsidies in diesel and co-operative markets for fishering in the line of Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC).
"We want a Fish Produce Marketing Council (FPMC) on the lines of APMCs in every district of the state," said Devendra Tandel, president of AMMKS. "The subsidy on diesel is given after four years, we want it to be given sooner. There have been loans taken by fishermen that are outstanding and cannot be paid because the boats on which they were taken do not exist anymore. They are either not there anymore or are damaged," said Pradeep Tapke, director of Vesava Machhimar Vividh Karyakari Sahakari Sanstha in Versova where Rupala is scheduled to visit.
PM Matsya Sampada Yojana benefits
Preference to traditional fishermen in the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, ensuring that co-operatives are part of the decision before loans are disbursed so that those who are not fishermen do not get them are some other demands that they feel will keep the interest of the local fishing community intact. "We also want that jetties be desilted, there be CCTV cameras put up in harbour areas. These will provide better security and can avert 26/11 type attacks," said Tapke.
