A delegation of fishermen leaders of five coastal districts would meet Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D.Jayakumar and BJP State President Tamilisai Soundararajan on December 5 at Chennai to discuss various issues being faced by the fisher folk. Disclosing this to newsmen, N.J.Bose, President of Rameswaram Port Mechanized Boat Fishermen Association said a resolution to this effect was adopted at the meeting of leaders of various fishermen associations held at Thangatchimadam coastal hamlet here today. The livelihood of lakhs of fishermen and others depending upon fishing industry was severely affected due to scrapping of high value currency notes by the Centre. The fishermen were unable to sell the marine cache due to demonetisation. Hence, the Central and state governments should take necessary steps to address this issue, a resolution said. In another resolution, the fishermen leaders urged the Centre to take efforts for the release of 117 fishing boats and 20 Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by Sri Lanka on the alleged charges of cross border fishing, besides to provide compensation for 18 impounded boats which were damaged due to vagaries of nature in Lanka. The meeting also urged the Centre to make necessary arrangements for the Indian fishermen to participate in the inaugural ceremony of a new church at Katchatheevu Island on December 7. The Jaffna diocese which built the church has not invited the Indian fishermen for the inauguration. The meeting decided to stage a massive rail roko agitation in Rameswaram, if their demands were not fulfilled by the governments.
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