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Fishermen body threatens to boycott elections

Express News Service Posted online: Friday , Apr 17, 2009 at 0034 hrs
Rajkot : Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Samiti (MASS) is up in arms against
the pro-industry policies of the state government.

To register its protest against industrialisation along the coastline of Saurashtra-Kutch, which they claim poses a
threat to their age-old business, MASS has convened a meeting of fishermen from the region on April 18 at Mundra.

Also invited at the convention are the candidates of two main political parties— the BJP and the Congress. MASS
has announced to boycott the elections, if the political parties do not assure to stand by them. They have framed a
slogan Amaro haq nahi to mat nahi (No vote, if our rights are overlooked).

According to MASS president Amad Manjalia, in the name of relief packages, the fishermen have always been doled
out empty promises by the government. “We don’t want money. For years, our forefathers have ventured into the sea
for livelihood. All we want is to save the sea,” he said.

The Samiti said that over 100 km of coastline in Kutch have been given to industries in the name of special economic
zones (SEZs) and water front development. This policy, according to the fishermen, poses a big threat to the
livelihood of more than 20,000 fishermen settled in 58 villages. They say that once SEZs come up, fishing ports like
Bhadreshwar, Luni, Junabandar, Jodbandar, Trangadibandar, Bavdi, Veera and Garudia will become history.

“All these ports are used as makeshift home by fishermen during the eight-month fishing season,” said Manjalia.
“Rehabilitation of fishermen on a large scale is to be done due to companies like Adani (which is coming up with a
power plant at Mundra),” he added.

The fishermen fear damage to the marine life due to development of commercial ports. “The ports here have a
capacity to anchor 58 ships at a time. It will turn the sea into an industrial gutter. Other industries like salt and
desalination plants also

release toxic waste in the sea, which has damaged mangrove covers, essential for fish breeding,” said a fisherman.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story-print/447887/ 5/10/2009