Nochikuppam fishermen stage protest on being refused to sell fish on roadside
The fishermen in the hamlet stated that if the local body did not meet their demand, they would go for road roko from tomorrow.
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CHENNAI: Fishermen of Nochikuppam have being protesting for the last two days as the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) refused to sell fish on the roadside and failed to provide an alternative place.
The fishermen in the hamlet stated that if the local body did not meet their demand, they would go for road roko from tomorrow.
Recently, the Corporation Commissioner urged the fish vendors to sell at the newly constructed fish market at Loop Road, and those who set up the stall on the road side which has been marked as a non-vending zone will be fined.
However, the fishermen of Nochikuppam were selling fishes on the road, and they were not allotted stalls in the market.
The civic body removed the stalls, so over 200 fiber boats did not venture into the sea, and 800 fishermen livelihood has been impacted in the village.
"The local body has constructed a market that can accommodate only 360 fish vendors and what about the remaining? We don't have an option to sell fish on the roadside, but the police and corporation authorities removed the stall and imposed a fine against us. Even the customers are willing to buy fish sold on the roadside. In addition, the left side of the road is not marked as a non-vending zone, and still the corporation does not permit," rued K Bharathi, a fisherman at Nochikuppam.
The livelihood has been impacted due to the two-days strike without venturing into the sea.
The fishermen urged the corporation to permit them to sell on the roadside that has not been marked as a non-vending zone or provide an alternative place for their business.
"After allocating shops at the new market, the local body has announced a blue flag certificate. Their focus is to change the beach into a tourist spot and does not bother about the livelihood of the fishermen as we are dependent on this business for several generations," said V Shankaran, a fish vendor.
They stated that if the local body authorities and police did not meet their demand, they would stage a road roko on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the fishermen at Srinivasapuram have requested the corporation to construct a new fish market for their hamlet vendors.