Plea for release of eight fishermen held in Maldives

(Frol left) A group of fisherman from Tharuvaikulam and villagers from Sri Moolakarai of Srivaikundam Taluk at Thoothukudi Collectorate on Monday.

With notification for the election to the Legislative Assembly announced, the model code of conduct came into force on February 26.

Under such circumstances, the weekly grievances meeting held at the Collectorate was suspended until further orders. Officials, however, installed a box in which the petitions could be dropped.

On Monday, a delegation representing Tharuvaikulam Fishermen Welfare Association led by its president Anthony arrived at the Collectorate and insisted on submitting a petition to the Collector personally. Collector K Senthil Raj said he would look into the petition.

Later, the fishermen told reporters that colleagues from their hamlet set off into the sea from Kanniyakumari for fishing. As they were sailing southwards, an unexpected wind took their mechanised boat into the territorial waters of Maldives.

A surveillance team from Maldives and naval authorities seized the boat and arrested the fishermen. “For no fault of the fishermen, they have been detained for the last 10 days.”

Mr. Anthony said, “we have made a request to the Collector to at least send our petition to the Central government, who alone can take action.”

Stone quarry

In another petition, villagers from Srivaikundam, Keezhur, Naduvoor and other hamlets came to the Collectorate and pleaded with officials to suspend the licence issued to a stone quarry in their area.

About 100 villagers claimed that the quarry site was not only causing pollution, but also creating tremor-like experience during odd hours.

They threatened to boycott the poll if the officials failed to look into their grievance within a week’s time.