Ramanathapuram
A group of traditional and country boat fishermen has urged the district administration to allow them and their family members to travel to Kathatheevu islet in country boats and ‘vallams’ fitted with engines for this year’s St Antony’s Church festival, scheduled for March 15 and 16.
Led by S Chinnathambi, organiser of traditional fishermen federation, the fishermen in a petition presented to Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao here on Monday, said they had been attending the festival by travelling in country boats and vallams for several years and urged him to protect their rights.
They said the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, in its order last year, had directed the officials to allow them with family members to travel to the islet for the festival in their country boats and vallams fitted with engines.
(A Division Bench comprising Justice M. Sathyanarayanan and Justice R. Hemalatha had said the fishermen could be allowed subject to fulfilment of norms and regulations as well as the safety and security measure).
They had been attending the festival in their country boats till 2014, when the authorities started using mechanised fishing boats to ferry pilgrims to the festival on commercial basis, citing safety norms, the fishermen said.
They urged the Collector to accord permission to 460 traditional fishermen and their family members to travel in 20 country boats at the rate of 23 people per boat. They also presented petitions to Deputy Director of Fisheries E Kathavarayan and Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena.
While disposing of a batch of writ petitions on the issue, the Bench had asked the government to take a call on using mechanised fishing vessels to ferry the passengers (pilgrims) for hire, pointing that the vessels were meant only for fishing and not for ferrying pilgrims.
From next year onwards (this year) the government shall take an endeavour to ferry the passengers in ‘ferry vessels’ as it would avoid complications in the event of any untoward incident or accident, the Bench had said.
The Bench had pointed out that pilgrims could not claim compensation from insurance companies as ferrying of passengers in fishing vessels was prohibited. It said the government may be mulcted with liability for compensation in the event of any accident.
Reports, however, suggested that this year too mechanised fishing boats would be used to ferry pilgrims.
