Fishermen associations in Rameswaram have appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to immediately administer the COVID-19 vaccine to all fishermen.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the TN Coastal Mechanised Boat Fishermen Welfare Association’s general secretary, N. J. Bose, moved a resolution stating that fishermen shall venture into the sea from July 1, though the annual fishing ban comes to an end on June 14.
Briefing reporters, Jesu Raja, a fishermen association leader, said that a large number of fishermen had tested positive for COVID-19 during the second wave and some had died. Under such circumstances, it would be welcome, if the government administered the vaccine doses for the fishermen on priority.
The meeting, he said, discussed the 45-day annual fishing ban period, which comes to an end on June 14. While they can venture into the sea from June 15, the fishermen however, unanimously decided to postpone fishing activities by at least a fortnight, Mr Jesu Raja said and added that when the fishermen reached shores with the catch, there may be a crowd in the markets to buy fish.”We are apprehensive that the virus may again spread due to this. Hence, it would be better to postpone the date of lifting the ban from June 15 to July 1,” he added.
The fishers appealed to the government to extend the fishing ban by another 15 days and announce July 1 as the new date to venture into the sea for all the fishermen in the larger public interest.
The meeting also thanked Chief Minister M K Stalin for announcing ₹20 lakh each as compensation to the families of 21 fishermen who were missing since the Tauktae cyclone.
