PUDUCHERRY: Despite the fishing ban coming to an end in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the mechanised boats here have to wait for two more days to venture into the sea to make a catch as the official ban here will end only on May 31.
A top official of the Fisheries Department said, the 47-day ban period in Puducherry will come to an end only on May 31, whereas the 45-day ban in Tamil Nadu ended on May 29. Also fishermen will be provided diesel at subsidised rates only from June 1 whereas TN had provided diesel two days in advance before the end of ban.
Meanwhile, the fishermen community leaders here felt that the Fisheries Department and administration should have taken steps to ensure supply of subsidised diesel at least a day before the end of ban period. “If so we could have ventured into the sea and started fishing from June 1,” they said. One of the fishermen leaders, Pothiraj, told Express that a boat needed 1,000 litre of diesel for one trip and one had to spend at least `5,000 extra, if subsidised diesel is not provided, he said.
He said the TN fishermen had already ventured into the sea to make most of the ‘catch’ available in plenty. Another fishermen leader, Kangeyan, slammed the Fisheries Department and government for not taking action despite the promises made by Chief Minister N Rangasamy.
Both the fishermen leaders claimed that the financial assistance of `4,000 per ration card to fishermen families are yet to be disbursed. “The schemes such as the financial assistance during the ban period, if not given on time, would not serve the purpose,” they said. Pothiraj alleged that the administration did not give `20,000 for the maintenance of boats, normally disbursed during the fishing ban period.