Fishermen demand early issuance of diesel subsidy

Fishermen association members, who participated in the fishermen grievance redress meeting held at the District Collectorate in Nagercoil on Friday, sought issuance of subsidy for diesel and implementation of advanced technologies and establishment of control rooms on the shore for rescuing fishermen during emergencies at sea.

Fishermen association members, who participated in the fishermen grievance redress meeting held at the District Collectorate in Nagercoil on Friday, sought issuance of subsidy for diesel and implementation of advanced technologies and establishment of control rooms on the shore for rescuing fishermen during emergencies at sea.

At the meeting chaired by Collector R. Alagumeena, the fishermen from Keezhmidalam village sought construction of a groyne at their village to prevent sea erosion and minimise the damage caused by the rough sea. They said although the officials proposed a project at a cost of ₹31.5 crore, no action had been taken on that.

“The groyne which was built in 2020 collapsed within six months due to poor maintenance. We demand a minimum guarantee for the structure constructed in future,” they said.

A significant number of fishermen emphasised the urgent need for issuance of diesel subsidy, saying that many of them had been waiting for more than three years after registering under the scheme. They said only a few applications had been approved since 2019.

The fishermen also called for advanced technologies to rescue those stranded at sea. They said the current technologies were slow, often resulting in fatalities before assistance arrived. They sought the establishment of control rooms on the shore to monitor emergencies and alert fishermen around promptly.

The fishermen from Inayamputhanthurai raised concern over stray dog menace in coastal hamlets and demanded immediate action. They also urged the Collector to order restoration of AVM Canal between Neerodi and Kollemcode. They further asked to the authorities to take measures to contain the prevalence of drug abuse in coastal villages.

The Collector directed the officials concerned to expedite the approval process for diesel subsidy applications and asked Village Administrative Officers to take effective measures to control stray dog menace in their respective areas.