NAGAPATTINAM: Mechanized boat fishers from Pazhayar resumed fishing on Sunday with police protection, after four months of protest against the use of high-speed engines.
As a case is pending in the Madras High Court, owners of registered boats which use permitted engines (less than 240 horsepower) resumed fishing.
"About 130 of our boats were planning to start today. But, only nine of our boats went out because only nine of us had nets approved by the fisheries department. We request the police protection till the situation eases," said K Arutchezhiyan, the leader of ‘Pazhayar Registered Boat Owners Association.’
The association is locked in a battle with 'Sinthanai Sirpi Singaravelar Mechanized Boat Owners Association’ whose members have been using high-speed engines (over 240 horsepower).
High drama ensued in Pazhayar on Sunday when a few rebel fisher boat owners blocked the path of the registered boat owners near the estuary.
Police had to go to the place to ease the tension. Madras High Court is hearing a plea to decide if boats can use engines of more than 240HP, which are said to be responsible depletion of marine resources.
However, officials came up with two more rules. The fishers can use only nets whose mesh was 40 mm.
Also, they have been told not to go beyond three nautical miles. The rebels allege that the registered boats do not follow the rules.
“We have 80 boats in our association. The officials from the fisheries department are biased towards the registered boat group. Many on that side are removing intercoolers in their engines briefly to pretend like they are using lesser speed engines. They will reattach the intercoolers soon.
They are also disguising their fishing nets, and they use 16 mm mesh-size nets underneath,” said M Kottaiyan, the leader of 'Sinthanai Sirpi Singaravelar Mechanized Boat Owners Association’, who justified the protest.
A senior official from the fisheries department said, “We inspected the boats and the nets after they came back. There is no foul play.”
A case was filed against M Kottaiyan and several others under Sections 147 (rioting), 294b (obscene language), 341 (wrongful restraint) 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC (Indian Penal Code).