NE NEWS SERVICE
MAYILADUTHURAI (TN), JULY 19
Thousands of fishermen from Chandrapadi, Thirumullaivasal and 11 other villages in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu on Monday intensified their protest seeking to lift the ban on use of purse seine nets. With a view to preserving the marine resources, the Tamil Nadu government in year 2000 banned the nets by invoking the Tamil Nadu Marine Fishing Regulations Act, 1983. In 2018, the Madras High Court upheld the ban.
The fishermen here have since been saying the restriction was affecting their livelihood and they demanded the rollback of the ban. On July 17, they launched an indefinite hunger strike at Chandrapadi and Thirumullaivasal.
Hundreds of them from Chandrapadi marched towards the Tarangambadi taluk office to surrender their ration cards and Aadhaar cards as part of the agitation, but the police stopped them.
Following this, they sat in front of the taluk office and staged a dharna. The Tarangambadi tahsildar Haridharan held talks with the protestors over the issue, but they continued the agitation.
Meanwhile, hundreds of fishermen in Poompuhar, too, protested over the issue in the town. On July 17, they launched an indefinite hunger strike at Chandrapadi and Thirumullaivasal.
