The Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti (AMMKS), a union of fishers in the Indian State of Maharashtra, have threatened that all fishermen will go on strike if they get penalised by Maharashtra Food and Drug’s Administration (FDA) over the quality of fish that they sell at marketplaces, across the city.
At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Damodar Tandel, president, AMMKS, an association working for the welfare of the fishing community alleged that the FDA had issued a circular to the fishermen allegedly stating that the former could be penalized over the quality of the fish that they sell across the city. There are no guidelines, no discussions, no specifications on what sections of the law will they charge us with. The notice says that we could be penalised under the law for selling poor-quality sea food, Tandel said.
There are close to 15,000 women who sell fish in Mumbai at about 110 markets, that are all in poor conditions. They are also hardly ever cleaned. Given the conditions at these markets with no fans and no bathrooms, it does appear to be below par, Tandel said.
Tandel supports the FD’s initiative but wants them to understand the community’s shortcomings. We sell them in such dire conditions. We will go on strike if anyone penalises us, the president of AMKKS said.
One of the fisher-women said that they sell fish in two shifts, once from 8am to 2pm and again from 5pm to 8 pm.
We carry our fish in baskets filled with ice. When the ice melts to water it smells and the entire market has a stench that sometimes deters customers at time. These marketplace should be cleaned in that lunch hours, the woman demanded.
The Indian Express ltd.