Daijiworld News Network – Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, Oct 18: A massive convention of fishermen and farmers will be organised on Tuesday November 21 at Nehru Maidan here, said World Forum of Fish Workers and Fish Harvesters coordinator Fr Thomas Kocherry while speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday October 17.

The convention will be organised by the Coastal Karnataka Fisherpeople's Action Committee in association with National Fish Workers Forum, National Alliance of Peoples Movements, Karnataka Farmers Association and Karnataka Vendors Association.

The rally is being organised to urge the government to fulfil the demands of fishermen, he said. The demands include repair of National Highway from city to Karwar, cleaning up of the fishing harbours through proper dredging, provision of specific place for fish vendors and retraction of approval given to special economic zones.

He threatened that if the government fails to meet their demands, the associations will block the National Highway and all the fishing harbours. He added that poor maintenance of the harbours has led to several accidents and increasing population has resulted in less catch, which in turn has increased the burden of loans.

Among those present were Coastal Karnataka Fisherpeople's Action Committee general secretaries Vasudev Bolur, Kulshekar Putran and Persine Boat Fishermen's Association president Kamalaksha Amin.