Goemkarponn desk
VASCO: National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), in its just-concluded Executive Committee meeting, held at Indian Social Institute, New Delhi, appointed a new interim Chairperson, Leo Colaco, after the sudden demise of the former NFF chairperson Narendra Patil.
Olencio Simoes, general secretary of NFF, stated in the EC meeting that NFF has resolved to hold “Machhimar Sangharsh Yatra” in all the coastal states to “Save ocean and save livelihoods”.
Simoes Further stated that a delegation of the fishing community represented by the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), led by Chairperson Leo Colaco, met the Union Minister of Fisheries, Parshottam Rupala, along with Union Minister of Petroleum Hardeep Singh Puri to discuss the increase in wholesale price which have led to a steep rise in diesel prices in all coastal states which has adversely impacted the fishing community of India, as cost of diesel in bulk has increased up to Rs.20 to Rs.30 which is 30% more expensive in retail outlets.
He stated that the Union Minister of Petroleum, Hardeep Singh Puri, has promised that the wholesale price of diesel will be stable within the next 3 to 4 days and assured all steps will be taken to reduce the burden on the fishing community of India.
The delegation also appraised both the Union ministers about the situation of the fish workers in the country, and if these taxes are not reduced, then the fishing community of India will be forced to come on the street as the fishing community will not be able to sustain the expenses in a voyage as due to less fish the fishermen have to spend more days in the ocean.
Veljibhai Masani, Tulsibhai Goyal, Jagdish Fofandi, Laxmikant Solanki (Gujarat), Ramkrishna Tandel, Kiran Koli, Moreshwar Vaiti, Vijay Thatu, Purnima Meher, Jyoti Meher, Ujwala Patil, Prithviraj Chandi, Devendra Kale, Nasiket Chandan Patil, Premnath Bhanji, Jayaraj Chandi (Maharashtra) Olencio Simoes (Goa) Kanda Aalaya, Prasanna Behra (Odisha) T. K. Rahman, K. Lakshmi, (Andhra Pradesh) Jackson Pollayil (Kerala) Paul Samy (Tamil Nadu) and Vengadessaperoumal form Pondicherry were present in the delegation.
