Kerala - Kollam   

Talks not likely to yield result: boat owners

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, DEC. 23. Mechanised fishing boat owners, who are on an indefinite strike, do not expect much from the talks to be held with the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, tomorrow.

Talking to The Hindu the district president of the Fishing Boat Operators Association, M.S. James, said that all the demands raised by the boat owners are justified and hence it would be a difficult proposition for boat owners to compromise on even a single demand for reaching an agreement to call off the agitation.

`Misguiding'

He said that a section of the officers of the Fisheries Department was misguiding the Fisheries Minister, Dominic Presentation, on the realities of the mechanised fishing sector. He said that the Minister had not made any serious attempt to study the realities.

He said that the Minister terming fishing boat owners as members of a rich class only exposes the Minister's utter ignorance of the situation. If the Minister had only cared to remain in touch with the boat owners he would have become adequately informed about the plight of the boat owners. The strike has been resorted to as a final measure for protecting their means of livelihood, he said.

Demonstration

When the Minister arrives at the Shakthikulangara Harbour here on December 30 for laying the foundation stone for the peeling shed complex, the boat owners would organise a demonstration by parading their boats in the harbour area. He said that the strike continues to receive the overwhelming support from the entire boat owners and this reflects the genuineness of the issues raised by the boat owners.

Tamil Nadu boats

Meanwhile, a couple of Tamil Nadu based fishing boats which made an attempt to enter the Shakthikulangara Harbour on Wednesday led to some brief tension in the area. With an acute shortage of fish as a result of the strike, the Tamil Nadu boats tried cashing in on the situation by entering the harbour and selling their catch, Mr. James alleged. However, following pressure from the local boat owners, those boats left the harbour.

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