The Karavali Vruttinirata Alemari (Shillekyata) Meenugarara Hakkugala Samithi on Monday, urged the Udupi district administration to help nomadic fisher (Shillekyata) families continue their fishing in the backwaters of the Gulvadi vented dam across Varahi river in Kundapura taluk.
Samiti honourary president and Democratic Youth Federation of India leader Santosh Bajal visited the six families who have been staying in temporary shelters on the river bank for the last four decades and have been engaging in fishing using coracles. The fishers told Mr. Bajal and the Samiti delegation that they had been fishing in the backwaters of the river for many years. Of late, a few locals had objected to the fishing activities and warned them not to venture into the water without obtaining permission from the authorities concerned. They also informed the delegation that neither the local police nor the Fisheries Department have responded to their complaints so far.
Mr. Bajal told them restricting fishing activities using coracles in the river water had no justification. There are no laws either prohibiting such activities nor mandating government permission, he said. He said the district administration should rush to the help of the nomadic fishers, provide them facilities as per the law and facilitate their fishing activities too. If the administration fails to address the issue immediately, the samiti would launch a protest, he warned.
Fishermen leader Kaviraj S. Kanchan, labour leader G.D. Panju and others were present.