Rameswaram fishermen struck work on Wednesday and decided to continue the strike in support of the February 16 ‘Pamban road bridge siege agitation’ announced by fishermen leaders in five coastal districts in Tamil Nadu and Karaikal in the union territory of Puducherry to press for their three-point charter of demands.
The fishermen launched the strike in support of the ‘siege agitation’ called to draw the attention of the Central and State governments on the plight of the fishermen in the coastal districts who ventured into the Palk Bay for fishing for their livelihood and get arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
As the fishermen were not allowed to fish in their traditional waters in the Palk Bay and the arrest continued unabated, leaders of fishermen in Karaikal and in the districts of Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Ramanathapuram decided to lay siege to the Pamban Road bridge.
“We have decided to lay siege to the Pamban bridge as the arrest of fishermen by the Lakan Navy continued even after Tamil Nadu government repeatedly taking up the issue with the Centre,” P. Sesu Raja, Rameswaram fishermen leader, said.
More troubles are in store for them as the Lankan government has amended its Fisheries Act to increase the fine on Indian vessels found fishing in Lankan waters and the Indian government remained silent, he said.
The protest was to urge the Centre to secure the release of all the arrested fishermen with their boats, ensure peaceful fishing in the Palk Bay till the fishermen switched over to deep- sea fishing or found alternative livelihood means and urge the State government to further increase the diesel subsidy, he added.
Meanwhile, R. Baby, Revenue Divisional Officer, held a meeting with the leaders of Rameswaram fishermen and urged them to drop the ‘siege agitation’ but the leaders said that the decision was collectively taken by leaders in six districts and they were helpless.
In a bid to resolve the issue, G.S. Sameeran, Additional Director of Fisheries, is likely to hold a meeting with the leaders from the six districts here on Thursday, officials said.
In a related development, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Pradeep Kumar held a meeting with Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena here on Wednesday and reviewed the security arrangements. He also discussed the siege agitation issue.
