VISAKHAPATNAM: The Gangavaram fishermen plan to hold a massive rally along with other fishermen association from over 90 villages from Beemunipatnam to Pyakraopeta and lay siege to the Collectorate on April 1 to express their dissatisfaction. "We have also decided to go ahead with stopping the construction work at Gangavaram port from April 3,'' general secretary of Gangavaram Fishermen Joint Front, Rajesh, told The Hindu over telephone.

On the all-party meet he said: "We had high expectations but the outcome is peanuts. Primarily, the Government has not agreed to stop work at the port site till the issue is settled.

Tripartite agreement

Neither it has talked of any tripartite agreement regarding the relief and rehabilitation package nor has ordered a judicial inquiry into the recent firing and atrocities committed by the police force." He noted that the people of

Gangavaram are the second time evacuees due to a project. The first time was when the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant was set up. We welcome the idea of a fishing jetty over there but that has to be given in writing in a tripartite agreement before the construction work commences. If not shift us along with the village to a safer seashore with proper R&R package and even that also has to be decided before the start of the work,'' he said.

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