Members of various fishermen associations here have announced an indefinite strike from Saturday, pressing the Union and State governments for an increase in the quantity of subsidised diesel from 1,800 litres to 3,000 litres per month among other demands.
Resolutions to this effect were passed at a meeting convened here on Friday in which leaders and representatives of fishermen associations participated. Speaking to reporters later, fishermen leader Jesu Raja said the steep rise in diesel price had forced them to borrow heavily to make both ends meet. Several appeals made to the governments to increase the subsidised diesel quantity had not fetched any results. More than 50% of their earnings went towards purchase of diesel, he said.
The governments allotted 1,800 litres of subsidised diesel per month to each registered fisherman. This was insufficient. The associations demanded 3,000 litres of diesel per month, which would give them some relief, he said, adding that to draw the attention of the governments the fishermen would stay away from the sea from Saturday.
One of the resolutions said the fishermen would stage a demonstration near Thangachimadam bus stand on Tuesday.
The meeting, which was presided over by Sagayam, a fishermen leader, said the State government had given a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the mechanised boats impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy. The Sri Lankan authorities did not release many of the boats impounded between 2014 and 2018, and instead auctioned them. At least five fishermen in Rameswaram were yet to get the compensation of ₹5 lakh, he said and appealed to the government to immediately give the relief.
The fishermen also urged the Centre to immediately hold talks with the Sri Lankan authorities and get the jailed Tamil Nadu fishermen released.
The meeting demanded retrieval of Katchatheevu, which alone would assure safety of the fishermen engaged in fishing along the Palk Strait.
At a time when the fishermen volunteered to help ferry essential commodities to Sri Lanka, which was reeling under a severe economic crisis, such ill-treatment meted out to them shocked them, Mr. Jesu Raja said.
