Enhance financial aid for fishermen during annual fishing ban period: Plea

Madurai: Madras high court on Monday directed the state government to file a counter affidavit on a plea which sought a direction to enhance the financial assistance to fishermen from Rs8,000 to Rs20,000 during the 61-day fishing ban period in Tamil Nadu.A division bench of justice N Sathish Kumar and justice M Jothiraman was hearing a public interest litigation filed by G Thirumurugan of Ramanathapuram district.The petitioner stated that the 61-day fishing ban for the east coast region is implemented from April 15 to June 14.He stated that coastal fishing villages situated on the Arabian Sea side of Kanyakumari district including Thoothoor, Eraviputhenthurai, Vallavilai, Neerodi, Chinnathurai, Poothurai, Colachel and adjoining coastal regions are governed by the west coast marine fishing regulation pattern and not by the east coast fishing schedule followed in the Bay of Bengal region.Accordingly, mechanised and deep-sea fishing vessels operating from the Arabian Sea coast of Kanyakumari district are subjected to a separate statutory fishing ban period from June 1 to July 31 in line with the west coast fishing ban enforced in the neighbouring state of Kerala and other west coast regions.He stated that during the fishing ban period, thousands of fishermen families depending upon deep-sea fishing activities in the Arabian Sea region are completely deprived of their livelihood and income and therefore they are also entitled to adequate fishing ban compensation and welfare assistance from the authorities. The fishing ban period creates severe financial hardship on the fishermen’s families.The petitioner stated that the compensation sum of Rs8,000 for an entire family for 61 days is wholly insufficient even for basic subsistence and survival. Unless adequate compensation is granted, fishermen families are pushed into debt traps, bonded labour, exploitative private loans and forced migration during every fishing ban season. Hence, the petitioner sought a direction to the authorities to enhance the financial assistance and provide a minimum relief assistance of Rs20,000 per month to every registered fisherman and fishermen family in Tamil Nadu.