Fishermen venture into sea at the cost of subsidy

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, April 16, 2015 : With the government yet to provide subsidised diesel, many fishermen who had moored their vessels in fishing jetties in Dakshina Kannada district have slowly started moving into the sea so as not to lose the fish catch at the cost of diesel subsidy.

Ashfaq, a trawl boat owner at the Mangaluru jetty, told The Hindu that he has to incur at least Rs. 5,000 a day towards maintenance of the moored vessel that includes payment to workers employed for fishing. “As such, I have decided to buy diesel at the market price so as to get whatever catch available. In the last 10 days, I have lost not less than Rs. 2 lakh income,” he said.

Similar was the view expressed by Lokanath Bolar, working president of the Coastal Karnataka Fishermen Action Committee. Many fishermen have been buying diesel at market price not to lose out on fish catch. He has lost about Rs. 24 lakh during these days, Mr. Lokanath said. However, not all fishermen have ventured into the sea. These fishermen work on vessels or in a group. Purandar, one such fisherman, said that even Rs. 2,000 savings per day by using subsidised diesel would mean a lot to him and he would wait for the government order.

Rajesh, manager, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Fish Marketing Federation Society, which operates one of the five diesel bunks in the jetty, said that he is now selling about 10,000 litres of diesel a day at market price as against 40,000 litres per day earlier. All five bunks together used to sell about 2.5 lakh litres of diesel every day. Rajesh said that those who do not want to remain stationed at the jetty and suffer losses have been venturing into the sea, with the hope that on their return after 10 days, they would get subsidised diesel.

Fisheries Department director Veerappa Gowda said that the Finance Department is yet to issue the necessary order on continuing supply of subsidised diesel.

 

Courtesy: The Hindu