Port Blair, Sep 14: Mr. Vishal Jolly, National Executive Member, BJP and Former State President, BJP ANI, Mr. S. U. Maheswar Rao, Member of Governing Body, National Fisheries Development Board, Mr. P. Yogesh, City District President BJYM, along with a delegation of Fishermen Community met the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration on 14th September 2022 and highlighted few crucial issues pertaining to the people belonging to Fishermen Community.
The issues are 1. Capping/Fixing of Ice Blocks Rate with respect to Ice blocks sold by the Private Ice plant Owners, through the Department of Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs. The private ice plant owners were charging 500℅ enhanced rates from the poor fishermen as compared to that of the Government rates; 2. Placed demand for construction of new Ice Plants of larger capacity in the South Andaman region in order to combat the acute shortage of Ice plants for the preservation of Fishes; 3. Impressed upon the requirement for letting-out/allotment of “Junglighat Modern Fish Market” to the Fish Vendors of the Junglighat Fish Market Self Help Groups OR to retain the PBMC for keeping its overall control of the market and collection of rent on daily basis from the Fish Vendors/Fishermen, which is the present practice that is being followed by the PBMC and 4. Requested & reiterated the demand for effective implementation of Central Government Schemes like PMMSY & FIDF, RKVY and other UT Schemes for the welfare and upliftment of the Fishermen Community in these Islands.
Two separate written representations were submitted wherein detailed requests with respect to the aforementioned issues have been made.
The meeting was productive and the response of the Chief Secretary was quite positive. The party is hopeful of a fair & enthusiastic outcome.
