The Hindu : Kerala News : Chandy to meet boat owners on December 24

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 20, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Chandy to meet boat owners on December 24

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, DEC. 19. The Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, has invited striking fishing boat owners for talks on December 24, said the general secretary of the All Kerala Boat Owners' Association, Joseph Xavier Kalappurakkal, here.

But the boat owners will continue their strike, he said. They will block the Kochi estuary at 11 a.m. on December 28 to press their demand for support price for export variety fishes and fuel subsidy for fishing boats.

Protest

About 1,000 boats are expected to participate in the protest. This has been planned because the boat owners do not pin their hopes on the discussions with the Chief Minister, Mr. Kalappurakkal said.

Mr. Kalappurakkal said reports had quoted the Fisheries Minister, Dominic Presentation, as saying that the demands of boat owners will not be met.

A total of about 4,300 boats are on an indefinite strike called by Matsyamekhala Samyukta Samithy (Fisheries Joint Action Council) from December 15.

The Chief Minister had met the representatives of the striking fish workers and boat owners on December 17 and expressed his willingness to consider the demands raised by the striking group, Mr. Kalappurakkal said. He said on Sunday that the strike will get the support of mechanised traditional boat owners in the State.

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