It has been over 10 months since fishermen from Andhra Pradesh burnt the boats, nets and engines of their counterparts in Chinna Mangodu in Pulicat, but the latter are still waiting for relief from the State government for their destroyed equipment.
The fishermen said that the police and revenue officials did little when thousands of fisherfolk from the neighbouring State attacked their village after a dispute over traditional fishing rights or paadu . Addressing a press meet here Ku. Bharati of the South Indian Fishermen’s Welfare Association said that despite the police having advance information about the April 2014 attacks, they remained mute spectators.
“The fisheries department had estimated the total damage to implements to be Rs. 54.63 lakh. The fishermen are yet to get compensation for boats. They were each given Rs. 4,500 by the Tiruvallur district administration,” he said.
“The fishermen plan to stage a protest this weekend demanding that fishermen from Andhra adhere to their paadu rules. If the State government does not take necessary steps by March 10 they will hand over their ID cards and sit on dharna,” said Mr. Bharati.
Sources in Tiruvallur district administration said that as soon as the riots happened the fisherfolk were given compensation as per provisions in the law and a criminal case was also filed against the perpetrators. “The matter is in the court now. There is no provision to provide them compensation for their boats as there was no natural calamity,” he said.
