‘Livelihood of thousands at stake with fish market sale’

R Apparaj, president, Chintadripet Fish and Perishables Merchants’ Association, said that there are 19 wholesalers and 100 retailers, who depend on this fish market for their daily business needs. 

Tracing the history of the market, he said, “The market has been in existence for over 200 years now and we have been plying our trade from here. We made agreements over the years and have paid advance to buy the market. The owners of the fish market had promised to sell it to us, as per the 2010 agreement. But it has now been sold to a former Congress MP J M Haroon Rashid, who has been putting pressure on the businessmen to leave the place. That is why, more than a thousand fishermen and fish sellers, including those from Cuddalore, have gathered here to protest the loss of livelihoods,” he said. 

As per the association head, they have paid Rs 25 lakh as advance, as the price quoted for the market during the 2010 agreement was Rs 5.4 crore. K Bharathi, president, South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, said, “Since this is a traditional fish market, which has been around for more than 200 years, the government should look at this as an issue of livelihood, rather than a property dispute,” he added.