Tension prevailed in front of the Visakha Container Terminal Private Limited (VCTPL) on August 29 near the fishing harbour in Visakhapatnam when scores of fisherfolk demonstrated against the management for not resolving their long-pending demands.
A total of 543 beneficiary families, who had parted with their land for the construction of the VCTPL in 1993, demanded that the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) and the VCTPL fulfil the promises made in the past. The fishermen squatted outside the gate from the morning as a mark of protest. They blocked the movement of the container vehicles at the terminal.
Speaking to The Hindu, a leader of the protesters, Ayyappa from Peda Jalaripeta, said the port management had promised 60 square yards of house site, job for a person in each family and ₹1 lakh compensation. “But, nothing has been fulfilled as on date,” he alleged.
The fisherfolk had staged a protest in support of their demands earlier in September 2022. When contracted, VCTPL authorities said, “They are holding a meeting now over the issue.”