Mannar fishermen take TNA MP to task

by P. Krishnaswamy

Fishermen's organisations in Mannar are up in arms against TNA parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan for making representations that were detrimental to the interests of the fishing communities.

Leaders of fishermen's organisations told the Sunday Observer that as a parliamentarian representing the district it is Selvam's bounden duty to take up the poaching issue and the fishermen's livelihood problem with the Sri Lankan and Indian authorities. But, instead, he had made representations to the Fisheries Ministry implicating them of collecting information on fishermen to re-introduce the 'Pass system' for fishing. The Ministry had called for explanations from them, they said. Their organisations had collected information of fishermen to provide alternative assistance to the fuel subsidy, they said.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne told the Sunday Observer that the much criticised 'pass system' had been discontinued many years ago and he ensured that the organisations collected information to provide alternative assistance to the fuel subsidy.

The Government has allocated Rs. 4,600 Million to provide assistance as an alternative to the fuel subsidy, he said.

President Mannar District Fishermen's Federation Albert Justin Soya, President, Kodachchikuda Fishermen's Federation S. Kandasamy, President, Valampuri Fishermen's Organisation, Azeez Raheem, President, Talaimannar Fishermen's Federation Aliyar Sathir and President, Pallimunai Fishermen's Federation Sarath Vithanage endorsed these views.