KOCHI: The Kerala Pradesh Matsya Thozhilali Congress will hold a nation-wide protest against the Central Government’s decision to implement the controversial Meenakumari Commission report. The coastal route protest titled ‘Piranna Mannil Jeevikkanayi’ will begin on February 15 in Kasargod, and will conclude on February 28 in Thiruvananthapuram. In the state, protest is against the alleged neglect of the people living in the coastal areas.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala will inaugurate the march on the Kasargod beach. Senior leaders of the party will be participating in the 14-day protest.
Addressing mediapersons, T N Prathapan MLA said that the Central Government was selling the precious lands in the coastal areas to corporates.
“The ordinary people living in the coastal areas are at the receiving end. Now, they are forced to accept the anti-fisherman policies being implemented for promoting commercial and mechanised fishing. The Prime Minister has betrayed a large section of people working in the fisheries sector by deciding to go ahead with the recommendations of the report. Moreover, the report contradicts the recommendations of the P Murali Committee report that opposed giving licence to foreign fishing vessels,” he said.
Prathapan further noted that the main demands raised by the protesters were scrapping of the Meenakumari Commission report, relaxing Coastal Regulation Zone norms and distribution of Kerosene on subsidised rates for fishing purposes.
K V Thomas MP said that the fishermen community needed a sustainable fishing environment, rather than commercial fishing.