For over three years, fishermen in the state were waiting for a government order fixing lease rates for fishing rights. Now, the government resolution (GR) issued on June 30 has left them shattered. They find the new rates so steep and new conditions imposed so unfair that they fear that it would spell death knell for the 10 lakh members of fishing cooperatives in Vidarbha. One-third of freshwater fishing in state is done in Vidarbha which has large number of irrigation tanks in which cooperatives of fishermen apply for lease. Wherever competition is intense, auction is done to fix contract rates. Following fishermen’s protest, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had put on hold the earlier GR of June 26, 2014, issued by the previous government as it was loaded against interests of fishermen. “But the GR issued on June 30 is more devastating. For instance, lease rates of a 30 hectare tank has been increased from Rs6,000 to Rs36,000. This six times increase is unjustified and killing,” said Deenanath Waghmare, convener of Sangharsh Vahini that has threatened a fresh agitation. “Fishing and agriculture are considered allied occupations. While farmers are getting a loan waiver and always seen as distressed, fishermen are being taxed heavily to make a living,” said Mannu Datta who has also filed a 300-page public interest litigation in high court highlighting state government’s apathy towards fishing community over the years. “The base rate for leasing tanks, which was Rs450 per hectare in 2014 GR, has now been hiked to Rs1,800,” he said. “Moreover, the GR states inflated figures of production per hectare to justify the hike. While national average itself is 72kg per hectare, the GR puts it at 1,500kg,” alleged Datta. “Clearly, the government wants to keep the fishing cooperatives away with high rates so that the field is open for private businesses with huge resources and clout,” said Dutta. “Water-user cooperatives of farmers are charged Rs40 per hectare for Kharif and Rs60 for Rabi crops irrigation. For lift water schemes, farmers are charged Rs120 and Rs85 respectively for the two crops. In contrast, a fisherman who does not even deplete the water and merely catches fish is being charged so heavily,” said Mukund Adewar, an activist of Vahini.