Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)
Bengaluru, Feb 25: Mogaveera community has joined various other communities in raising their voice for reservation. They have urged the government to provide reservation to them also as their demand is a decade old.
Prominent leaders of the community spoke on this subject in the city and also shared information about the difficulties they are facing in fishing which is their livelihood.
Nearly 90% of fishermen of coastal regions in the state are facing difficulties as they cannot do fishing due to high waves and storms in the sea and steep increase in petrol and diesel prices. Due to inclement weather and environmental pollution, the fishing boats have to spend at least 12 days in the deep sea in order to fill the boat with fishes. Now the situation is such that the boats have to travel more than 800 km in the sea for fishing. The leaders have urged the government to waive off the loan and interest of the fishermen of the coastal region, who are facing difficulties due to various reasons.
In the joint press conference that was held on Wednesday, February 24 in the city, Jaya C Koitan, president of Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana Sangha, Sudhakar Kundar, chief secretary and Devaraj Boloor, vice president, gave details of the issues that are faced by the fishermen of the coastal region.
In the coastal districts of Karnataka, 4,750 mechanised boats, 7,500 traditional fishing boats and more than 10,500 outboard mechanized boats are into fishing. This industry has given livelihood to lacs of people in the form of selling fish, hotels and fish transportation. Foreign exchange of Rs 5,000 crore is earned due to this industry. In addition, lacs of people are indirectly employed due to the fishing industry.
"For the last five years, storms have become common. Due to this reason, fishing is on a downward trend year by year. Coronavirus pandemic shattered the lives of fishermen. Fishes have also migrated from seashore to far off places in the deep sea due to waste disposed of from industries, air pollution and inclement weather. Because of this, the boats have to go a distance of 800 km in the deep sea to fish in waters that are 150 ft in depth. One boat has to spend a minimum of 12 days in the sea in order to fill the boat with fishes. Fishermen do not have any other skill needed to survive," said Jaya Kotian, president of Dakshina Kannada Mogaveera Mahajana sangha.
Sudhakar Kundar, secretary of the association said, "The rate of fuel has skyrocketed in the country. This has affected the fishermen in a huge manner. As the boats have to traverse 800 km in the sea, they required 300 to 500 litre of diesel and kerosene for one-time fishing. Nearly 75% of the boats run on diesel. In the present situation, 75% of the revenue is spent on fuel. Due to this reason, nearly 75% of fishing boats have stopped going into the sea. Fishermen are facing graving situation straits. The state government has to immediately look into our profession."
The association of fishermen has kept several demands before the government. They are demanding tax concessions at the delivery point and diesel on a yearly quota. Kerosene needs to be provided to traditional fishermen without any taxes on it. Bank loan and interest need to be waived off for fishermen who are distraught due to fierce storms in the sea for five consecutive years. A loan facility at an interest rate of 4% needs to be provided to fishermen. The government has to provide relief to those who have lost their jobs due to the scarcity of fish. The state government has to recommend to the central government to waive off the road tax for the diesel that is used by fishermen. A separate industrial zone has to be formed for fisheries. A clean fish market needs to be built in every taluk. The state government has to protect the fishermen by fulfilling all these demands. Otherwise, the association will resort to an indefinite strike.