Fishermen torch four boats near Parangipettai

The incident took place over the use of banned purse seine nets

A boat on fire after a scuffle between two groups of fishermen.

Tension prevailed near Cuddalore after four fishing boats were torched at the Parangipettai coast on Monday following a scuffle between two groups of fishermen over the use of banned purse seine nets ( surukku valai ).

According to the police, there was trouble brewing between fishermen of over 20 coastal hamlets in Parangipettai and fishermen of Devanampattinam and MGR Thittu and Killai over the use of the banned purse seine nets. Fishermen of Parangipettai, Pudukuppam, Samiyarpettai, Pudupettai, Chinnur among others have been against the use of such nets while fishermen from Devanampattinam and Killai have opted for them.

A meeting of fishermen representatives from Parangipettai panchayat had recently called for a blanket ban on purse seine fishing since it affected the traditional fishing grounds.

The panchayat also made it clear that the fisherfolk from other villages who continued to use the nets will not be allowed to sell their catch at the fish landing facility in Annankovil near here.

However, a section of fishermen from Killai continued to indulge in purse seine fishing and sold their catch at a makeshift site near the fish landing facility for the last few days, triggering tension.

On Friday, over 200 fishermen from Parangipettai and surrounding hamlets, who had abstained from fishing, set out in fibre glass boats and blocked the sea mouth to prevent the entry and exit of fishing vessels.

Tension mounted after a group of fishermen from Killai were returning with their catch and were interecepted by the Parangipettai fishermen, who torched four boats and few nets worth several lakhs. The fishermen managed to swim to safety. A posse of policemen have been deployed in Parangipettai to prevent any untoward incident.

District Collector V. Anbuselvan said there has been trouble brewing between fishermen over the use of purse seine nets for some time and the Chidambaram Sub-Collector had called for a meeting with representatives of various panchayats on July 30. Stringent action would be initiated against those who torched the boats, he said. The Collector has also appealed to fishermen in Cuddalore district not to venture into the sea for fishing until further orders.