Kanyakumari District Meen Thozhilalar Sangam, affiliated to the Centre for Indian Trade Union (CITU), urged the government to stop auctioning of fishing rights in inland waterbodies to outsiders through the Public Works Department.
Addressing an agitation staged in front of the Collectorate here on Friday, K. Chellappan, State vice-president, CITU, said that hitherto fishing rights were given to traditional fishermen attached to local fishermen cooperative societies on the basis of the recommendations of the concerned Assistant Directors of Fisheries Department by the Public Works Department. Fifty per cent of the lease amount was shared by the government with the three-tire fishermen organisations for maintenance of waterbodies.
Dependent
The new system of awarding fishing contracts to outsiders, who were not at all related to fishing, would affect the livelihood of traditional fishermen, who were fully dependent on this profession for generations.
The agitation was presided over by Maria George, vice-president, Thovalai Inland Fishermen Cooperative Society. K. Chellappan, State vice-president, CITU, inaugurated.
CPI (M) district secretary N. Murugesan, former MLA R. Leema Rose, CITU district secretary K. Thangamohan and district secretary of Kanyakumari District Meen Thozhilalar Sangam S. Anthony participated.
