Traditional Boat Fishermen Demand Release of Subsidised Kerosene
Udupi: Traditional boat fishermen associationS staged A protest in front of the DC Office Manipal here on Monday, February 26 demanding the supply of subsidized kerosene.
More than five thousand Traditional boat fishermen of Udupi district under the leadership of Kundapur Taluk country Traditional fishermen association gathered in front of the DC office and shouted slogans.
Naveenchandra, leader of the Kundapur Taluk Traditional Fishermen Association, said that the State government has declared subsidized kerosene to the county fishing boats. From last December to February the government has not released the subsidized kerosene to the boats. Traditional fishermen are facing problems without getting the subsidized Kerosene. There are 4,514 country boats in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts. These boats altogether require 1,355 kilolitres (KL) of kerosene every month. But the kerosine has not been released for the last three months i.e December, January and February. He demanded the release of subsidized kerosene oil with immediate effect. He also demanded to ban fishing using lights by the purse seine boats and bull trawl fishing.
Later the protesters submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis.
Byndoor MLA Gopal Poojary, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, fishermen leaders Somashekar Kharvi, Manju Billava, Madan Kumar, Naveenchandra, Janardhan Thingalaya, Chandrakanth Karkera, Aziz Shiroor, Shaul, Devada Kharvi, Naresh Kharvi, former MLA Raghupathi Bhat, fishermen federation president Yashpal Suvarna and others were present.
In a recent gathering at Malpe beach, that BJP, Mr. Amit Shah and the locals of Fishermen Association had organized, no one had brought this issue to Mr. Amit Shah’s attention, and now just a few days later – this agitation in front of DC office!