‘Fishing permit, fuel subsidy more important than Katchatheevu’

TIRUCHY: In the din of demand for the retrieval of Katchatheevu, fishermen leaders say though it is important, a few of their long pending demands, including regularisation for deep sea fishing, Centre’s diesel subsidy which was stopped 10 years ago, are more important for their sustained livelihood.

According to A Thajudeen, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Meenavar Peravai and president of Mechanised Boat Owners Association, the retrieval of Katchatheevu may not change the livelihood standards of fishermen. In those days, mechanised boats used low horsepower engines and they needed a landing spot and used the island, but now, the mechanised boats use high horsepower upto 40 kmph engines, which can reach Katchatheevu within half an hour and the boats undergo deep sea fishing activities. “This apart, the fishing spots around Katchatheevu have lost its sea wealth after tsunami devastation and so retrieving the island would mean nothing to the fishermen from Tamil Nadu,” Thajudeen said.

He pointed out that the late Union minister Sushma Swaraj, during a meeting with the fishermen from Tamil Nadu that was held in Rameswaram around 10 year ago promised them of retrieving the island. “But it became a long forgotten promise and we think that this issue has been raised just for political gain,” he said.

However, Thajudeen said that there are so many immediate requirements for the fishermen, which are more important than the retrieval of Katchatheevu. “From Thanjavur to Rameswaram, there is no proper fishing ground and this instills a tendency among the fishers to opt for deep sea fishing and we have been demanding a regularised deep sea fishing permit to ensure our livelihood,” he added.

Similarly, the Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) has not been initiating any steps for profitable pricing for the marine products. “The authority only helps the exporters and even recommends them for incentives, but never cared for the fishermen. It has taken no steps to encourage exports or profitable price and as a result, only 30 per cent of the total catch has been exported and the remaining 70 per cent of fish varieties are made into dry fish for local consumption,” he charged.

Meanwhile, the fishermen are allowed only 1,900 liter of diesel per month with a state subsidy and we have been demanding it to increase to 4,000 litres per month as the high power engines are being used in boats. This apart, the subsidy from the Centre was stopped 10 years ago and this has been put forth before the Centre very often with no answers.

There are more than 250 mechanised boats under the custody of Sri Lankan government and the Lankan govt has decided to nationalise all the boats and this happened only after the BJP came to power, Thajudeen charged.

Mohandas, Country Boat Owners Association, Nagapattinam said that the retrieval of Katchatheevu has nothing to do with fishermen as per the current scenario. “When we longed for it, the government had not initiated any step. At the same time, when we forgot and prepared ourselves for fishing activities without the support of the island, the Centre has been seriously talking about this and it is evident that this is purely for political gain and nothing more,” he said.

S Balamurali, former president of Fishermen Panchayat in Nagapattinam said that the islet was used by traditional fishermen during the past for drying their nets and taking a break. “But things have changed now and the boats have all the facilities and so retrieval of Katchatheevu would have no impact among the fishermen,” he said.