Boat operators in Visakhapatnam are in dire straits as their repeated pleas to increase subsidy given on diesel in proportionate to the increase in its price have fallen on deaf ears. Boats registered during the Ninth Plan period are eligible for availing of diesel subsidy at the rate of Rs. 6.03 per litre subject to consumption of 3,000 litres per mechanised boat per month. The State government vide GO Ms. No. 13 had sanctioned reimbursement of sales tax and give to fishermen as subsidy to improve their livelihood. For past seven months diesel price has gone up six times. The price has gone up by Rs. 10.87 paise entailing a heavy burden on our community, Dolphin Boat Operators’ Welfare Association president Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy told The Hindu. Now at the bunks located at the fishing harbour, diesel per litre is sold at Rs. 67. Though 700 mechanised boats are operated from the fishing harbour, only 340 registered during the Plan period are eligible to get the subsidy. It should be extended to all boat operators irrespective of the date of registration, District Fishermen Youth Welfare Association executive secretary Arjili Dasu said. Falling catch Dwindling catch has remained an issue of serious concern for the fishermen here due to a variety of factors like overexploitation, plastic pollution and growing number of fish-kill reported due to discharging of industrial effluents into the sea. The boat operators spend almost 80% of their expenditure on fuel. For a voyage of 15 to 18 days, Rs.2.40 lakh is spent on diesel. Some of the boat operators are also resorting to distress sale of their vessels as almost 60% of the boats lying idle in the jetties with fishing becoming unviable. Fishermen, who have been staging protest for the past few weeks, also feel that granting them ST status would help them get several benefits improving their livelihood manifold.