Fishermen associations here have thanked the Tamil Nadu government and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami for giving consent to their demand for diesel subsidy to the mechanised boats.
After a meeting of various fishermen associations here on Saturday, Jesu Raja, an association leader, said that in this COVID-19 pandemic period, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar had agreed to the demand of the fishermen on the subsidy and it was welcomed unanimously by all the fishermen.
One of the resolutions passed at the meeting said the Tami Nadu government should consider reducing the taxes imposed on the petroleum products like in many other States and collect only the actual value based on the cost of production of diesel. The government should waive the tax component on the fuel consumed by the fishermen, the meeting demanded.
The fishermen associations resolved to collect the tokens from the Department of Fisheries office and set for fishing as usual from Monday. They also urged the authorities to ensure that the diesel bunks supplied the fuel in automated fuel station machines as the measurement would be genuine.
The fishermen here were on a stir since last week demanding the government to provide diesel subsidy. After the decision was announced, the fishermen resolved to go for work immediately.
Since the annual ban was lifted from June 1, the fishermen here ventured into the sea only from June 13. Within two days, four fishermen went missing and three among them could not be rescued. With most of the workers in export firms of fishing companies here having gone to their homes, the firms were not functioning on a full scale. Hence, the fishermen have not been getting good prices for the produce.
