Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) and the National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) have stated that issues concerning the fisheries sector in all the coastal states of the country will be highlighted during the Lok Sabha elections.
NFF national secretary T Peter, chairperson M Elanko and Federation secretary Anto Elias said here on Monday that as part of this, campaigns and special conventions would be held under the joint auspices of the KSMTF and the NFF.
The NFF leaders said that the fish workers would take a stand during the elections based on the stance of candidates and political parties on the issues faced by fishermen.They said that they had planned campaigns and propaganda marches in March and April raising demands such as setting up of a fisheries ministry at the Centre, distribution of fuel for fishing boats at a cheap rate, strict implementation of the Green Tribunal’s ban on sand mining on the coastal belt, a legislation on the model of the Forest Rights Act meant for tribals to protect the interests of fishermen, enactment of a comprehensive law to regulate sea fishing, implementation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act without causing hardship to the fishermen in constructing houses, demolition of the resorts constructed on the coastal belt in violation of the CRZ norms, allotment of 10 cents of land to landless fishermen and writing off all the loans availed of by fishermen.
The leaders said that the interest on fishermen’s loans taken for buying fishing implements should be reduced from 12 per cent to 4 per cent.
Sea erosion and other natural calamities should be treated as national disasters and compensation should be given accordingly.
The leaders said that they had given a memorandum, including these demands, to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat, leaders of the CPI, Aam Admi Party and Socialist Janata party in this regard.
Peter, Elanko and Anto Elias also urged the State Government to withdraw the order giving land in the coastal belt to resort groups in violation of the CRZ notification.
