Fish supply to the Indian city of Mumbai is likely to take a hit after 18 lakh fishermen went on an indefinite strike on Saturday to protest a hike in bulk diesel prices. The protest is aimed at a recent decision by the central government to include fishermen cooperatives in the category of bulk diesel consumers, due to which they will have to pay Rs 11.62 more per litre of diesel against a hike of just 45 paise for retail customers.
Rambhau Patil, Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti, told Mirror, We all are shocked over the central government’s decision. Fishermen were always given subsidy in bulk diesel prices. Currently, fishermen are paying Rs 52.62 per litre for diesel. After the hike, they will have to pay Rs 64, which is unaffordable for fishermen. This will be a major bulk of their daily expenses.
On Saturday, 50 fishermen from all over the state met with Parag Jain, commissioner of the fisheries department. He assured us that he will send a letter to the central government regarding our demands, but we have decided not to work till the government changes its decision, said one of the fishermen.
Over 1,100 boat owners in the city refused to buy diesel on Saturday. We will die but will not take our boats out to sea till our pleas are heard, said Ramdas Sandhe, a member of the fishermen union. Fish supply dipped drastically to about one-fourth of the daily haul on Saturday. We know the strike will hit the city. We don’t want to do this but we have no other option, added Sandhe.
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