[OANNES Foro] ICSF DC Weekly News Alert from 04 November 2013 to 08 November 2013

[ICSF Documentation Centre]

*International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) Trust*

*Documentation Centre*

*Weekly News Alert*

*04 November 2013 to 08 November 2013*


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Dear Subscriber,

Please find below web links of  ICSF DC Weekly News Alert from 04 November
2013 to 08 November 2013.

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* Tripura: Political unrest in Bangladesh hits trade with Tripura*
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Political-unrest-in-Bangladesh-hits-trade-with-Tripura/articleshow/25291583.cms

Bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh continued to suffer as
hundreds of loaded trucks remained stranded on both sides of the
Indo-Bangla border for the sixth consecutive day in Akhaura integrated
check post (ICP) due to political unrest in the neighbouring country...

*Manipur: Fisheries department hosts annual fish fair*
http://kanglaonline.com/2013/11/fisheries-department-hosts-annual-fish-fair/

The production of fish this year by the fisheries department has increased
from last year’s production of 53 thousand metric tons, said Fisheries
department director, K Saratkumar today during the fish fair-cum-fish crop
competition held at the Hapta Kangjeibung...

*Meghalaya: Meghalaya aims at surplus fish production*
http://newindianexpress.com/business/news/Meghalaya-aims-at-surplus-fish-production/2013/11/06/article1875766.ece

Meghalaya is aiming to become surplus in fish production after depending on
25,000 tonnes of annual imports, notably from Andhra Pradesh. "We import
close to 25,000 tonnes of fish annually from other states, notably, from
Andhra Pradesh...

*Uttar Pradesh: Admin wakes up to Varanasi ghats' plight*
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Admin-wakes-up-to-Varanasi-ghats-plight/articleshow/25277976.cms

After a gap of several years the district administration has woken up to
tackle the threats faced by the majestic ghats of Banaras. A committee
headed by the district magistrate has been formed to assess the problems
and also to find out a solution to maintain the beauty of the ghats...

*Odisha: Puri sustains loss of Rs 429 crore*
http://newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/Puri-sustains-loss-of-Rs-429-crore/2013/11/01/article1867377.ece

The district administration has estimated the damage due to the flood and
cyclone at Rs 429.37 crore. It submitted the assessment report to the
Central team led by Rasmi Goel on Thursday. The team visited villages in
Krushnaprasad, Brahmagiri and Puri Sadar that were affected by the twin
calamities...

*Andhra Pradesh: A Fishing Community Recounts Evacuation Experience During
Phailin*
http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/a-fishing-community-recounts-evacuation-experience-during-phailin/?_r=0

When police and government officials came to his village on Friday, begging
residents to evacuate before Cyclone Phailin hit, B. Appa said he didn’t
believe them at first. In fact, almost no one did. “Our village has seen
hundreds of cyclones since the time of our grandfathers and
great-grandfathers,” said Mr. Appa, 37, a fisherman in the coastal village
of Bhavanapadu...


* Kerala: Fishworkers' organisation takes out protest march *
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/Fishworkers-organisation-takes-out-protest-march/2013/11/06/article1874735.ece

As part of the 101-hour Satyagraha of fishworkers organised under the aegis
of Kerala Swathanthra Matsyathozhilali Federation, fish workers took out a
march here on Tuesday carrying fishing equipment like fishing net, oars and
engines used in boats.The agitation is being organised raising various
demands such as withdrawal of projects such as coastal mining, hydrofoil
and coastal shipping...

* Kerala: Panels to monitor fish peeling units in Kozhikode*
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/panels-to-monitor-fish-peeling-units-in-kozhikode/article5316524.ece

Focus on hygiene, welfare of workers, labour conditions. The State
government has come up with a slew of measures to monitor the hygiene and
welfare of fish peeling workers, mostly women from financially-backward
families working under punishing conditions...

*Karnataka: Integrate city plan with CRZ rules: expert*
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/integrate-city-plan-with-crz-rules-expert/article5311366.ece

Not many coastal cities have integrated their city plans with the costal
regulatory zone (CRZ) guidelines, said former Director of Centre for Earth
Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, M. Baba. Mr. Baba who was among the
experts involved in formulation of Costal Regulatory Zone Notification in
2011 – which mainly regulates real estate development along the coast in
order protect its ecosystem – said here on Monday that such integration was
necessary for better implementation of the guidelines...

*Maharashtra: Oil leakage robs Mahul fishermen of livelihood*
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-oil-leakage-robs-mahul-fishermen-of-livelihood-1914369

The fishermen from Mahul gaon, a quiet fishing village near Chembur, are a
distressed lot. Oil leakage from refineries located in the area over the
past two months has not just threatened their traditional fishing business,
but has also adversely affected the health of the families residing there...

* Gujarat: NGOs want World Bank out of Tata project*
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/ngos-demand-world-bank-withdrawal-from-tata-s-mundra-umpp-113110400736_1.html

Over a hundred non-governmental organisations focused on environmental and
social issues have demanded the World Bank withdraw assistance to a 4,000
Megawatt power project operated by Tata Power at Mundra in Gujarat. This
comes days after the Ombudsman for International Finance Corporation (IFC),
the Washington-headquartered investment unit of the World Bank Group,
reported serious lapses in the supervision of the Ultra Mega Power Project
(UMPP)...

*India: Unquiet flows the Brahmaputra*
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/unquiet-flows-the-brahmaputra/article5314366.ece

India should impress upon China the livelihood and ecological impact of
upstream projects. In recent years, whenever India and China have met at
the highest level, the issue of water has been prominently put on the
negotiating table. Much of the unease has been over a truculent,
temperamental trans-border river, the Yaluzangbu-Brahmaputra-Jamuna (YBJ)
system, which exhausts its full watery course only after having traversed
three sovereign nations: China, India, and Bangladesh...

*Sri Lanka: SL cries foul over EU action *
http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/38256-sl-cries-foul-over-eu-action.html

The Sri Lankan government asked why the European Union (EU) did not take
action on India for failing to stop its fishermen poaching in Sri Lanka’s
territorial waters. Deputy Fisheries Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne told
Parliament that the EU had issued a yellow card (warning) to Sri Lanka on
the grounds that the government had failed to ratify international laws and
conventions and thus prevent Sri Lankans from engaging in Illegal,
Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in international waters...

*Pakistan: Govt assures PFF of resolving Gizri fisher folk issue  *
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-212628-Govt-assures-PFF-of-resolving-Gizri-fisher-folk-issue

Responding to a letter for safeguarding the rights of the fishing community
residing in old jetties in Karachi, specifically in Gizri, the Sindh
government tasked the fisheries secretary with convening a meeting in this
regard. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Defence Housing
Authority (DHA), the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) and the line
departments to resolve the fishing community’s issues...

*Pakistan: PFF intends to start ‘Save Manchhar’ campaign*
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\11\06\story_6-11-2013_pg12_3

Hundreds of fishermen and women, gathered at different locations inside the
Manchhar Lake, declaring their unconditional support to back the "Save
Manchhar" campaign launched by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) on
Tuesday. During a day-long visit and corner meetings with the community,
residents came to show solidarity, saying the increasing pollution has
become an issue of life and death...

*Sri Lanka: As Indian trawlers charge ahead, these fishermen are all at sea*
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/as-indian-trawlers-charge-ahead-these-fishermen-are-all-at-sea/article5309999.ece

It is 6.30 p.m., already pitch dark along the shore in Analativu, a tiny
island off Sri Lanka’s northernmost tip. Except for the silhouettes of palm
trees and of the fisherfolk gathered there, nothing much else is visible
under the star-studded night sky. The village is quiet — its silence only
punctuated by the periodic splash of the waves against the shore and
occasionally, by a lone pup barking shrilly...

* Myanmar: Fish exports down *
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/8655-fish-exports-down.html

Decreased fish production from local trawlers this year will lead to
shortfall from this year’s revenue target of US$700 million, experts said.
U Han Htun, executive vice president of Myanmar Fisheries Federation, said
that revenues through the first seven months of the fiscal year have
decreased 9.69 percent to just $298 million compared to the same period
last year as trawlers are experiencing higher production costs that are
leading to decreased fish trawls...

* Bangladesh: Using children at dry fish processing units banned*
http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/using-children-at-dry-fish-processing-units-banned/

The authorities have imposed a ban on engaging children in all kinds of
work related to dry fish processing at Dublarchar in Shoronkhola upazila. A
circular was issued in this regard by the Forest Department in the third
week of last month. The circular also warned that tough legal actions would
be taken against those found guilty of violating the ban...

*Bangladesh: Tears for the rivers of Bangladesh*
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/new/2013/11/02/1769

Bangladesh, a deltaic region of the Indian subcontinent, was famous for its
ebbing mighty rivers and their innumerable tributaries with waters full to
the brim. The tradition, culture, society, economy and the life system of
people of the country were tremendously influenced by these mighty rivers
and their tributaries...

*India:  National Fishworkers Forum memorandum to be submitted to the
National and Regional political party leaders requesting them to
incorporate NFF’s important demands in their party's election manifesto to
the ensuing 2014 Lok Sabha General Elections*
Source: NFF

To,
Shri.
President/Secretary

Sir/Madame,

Sub: Requested to incorporate our long pending demands in your party
election manifesto to the ensuing General Election to Loksabha –Reg.

We state that you are well  aware of the fact that there are 13 states
including union Territories namely –West Bengal,  Odisha, Andra Pradesh,
Tamilnadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Diu
Daman, Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands on the coastal area  of our
Nation and they are surrounded by seas at a stretch about 8118 km in length.

Residents of the coasts are involving in the ancestrally inherited fishing
occupation in 2.02 million sq.km sea water which includes 0.5 million
sq.kmcontinental shelves and Exclusively Economic zone. Approximately
the
fishermen who are solely depending upon fishing for their livelihood is 2
Crore. Apart from those coastal fishermen, the inland fishermen who is
depending for their occupation utilizing perennial rivers, seasonal rivers,
lakes, ponds, pools, back waters and lagoons who are living in 35 states
including 7 Union Territories is about 1 Crore of our population. Thus
fishermen are 3 Crore of our Indian population. Though they are striving
and providing nutritious fish as food to 80% of people of our country at
cheapest cost, it is easy to construe from the life style, they are
leading, even after 66 precious years of our independency shows that they
have not attained sufficient or expected growth in Education, Employment,
and Economy and in permanent income. They are socially, economically and
educationally in the lower strata. We believe that you too have well
acquainted with the above facts and from the facts that it is easy to
derive that the fishermen are living in misery, anguish and in stigma
secluded even from the other backward communities, and also in most
economically backward and further in a suppressed manner. During our 66
years of Indian Democratic Parliamentary system of governance, several
ministries were bifurcated for the benefit and welfare of several groups
which are deliberately lesser in number when compare to the fishermen
population. But contrary to the need and necessity fisheries is being added
as the fourth behind Agriculture, Animal husbandry and Dairy in the
Ministry of Agriculture, since its inception and fishermen welfare is
continuously neglected by the Authorities concerned. Hence, as a first step
to alleviate the sufferings of fishermen Community, Central Govt. must form
a separate “Ministry for Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare.”  After
considering all the pathetic, heart breaking  suppressed  and  depressed
conditions  of  fishermen  community  living  throughout our country, the
Backward  Classes Commission under the Chairmanship of Shri. B.P. Mandal
has rightly observed the stigma of untouchability against fishermen in some
parts of the Country.

In the Backward Classes Commission report (Mandal report) in Volume 1
Main Report and Recommendations
Chapter XIII, at page No. 65,under the sub heading ”Miscellaneous – Para
13.37

   1. Certain sections of some occupational communities like Fishermen,
   Banjaras ,Bansforas, Khatwes etc. still suffer from the stigma of
   untouchability in some parts of the country. They have been listed as
   O.B.Cs by the commission, but their inclusion in the list of Scheduled
   Castes / Scheduled Tribes may be considered by the Government.
   2. Backward Classes development corporations should be set up both at
   the central and state levels, to implement various socio – educational and
   economic measures for their advancement
   3. A separate Ministry /Department for O.B.Cs at the Center and the
   States should be created to safe guard their interests
   4. With a view to giving better representations to certain very backward
   sections of O.B.Cs like the Gaddis in Himachel Pradesh, Neo –Buddhists in
   Maharashtra, Fishermen in the coastal areas, Gujjars in J&K., it is
   recommended that areas of their concentrations may be carved out into
   separate constituencies at the time of delimitations.”

 To give effect to the above recommendations the Legislative Assemblies
including of Kerala and Puducherry unanimously passed resolutions to
include the Fishermen community in the Scheduled Tribes list, sent to the
Union Government for further proceedings. Still these resolutions are under
the consideration of Ministry of Social Justice. Decision in this regard
must be taken at the earliest if your party comes to power at the central
government. We request the government of India to consider this
recommendation and include fishermen in the SC / ST list. We request the
government of India to take a decision to include in the terms of reference
of the next delimitation commission to consider the Mandal commission’s
recommendations to create separate constituencies for fishermen in the
coastal areas. Though the fisheries is considered as a part and parcel of
Agriculture Ministry, the Fishermen are not getting any sort of facility or
concession like farmers, such as loan and grants through Cooperative banks
nationalized banks, scheduled banks, government financial institutions like
NABARD and even we are not allowed to get Jewel loans by pledging Jewels in
order to use the money for repairing the fishing Boats, Nets and buying
other equipment for fishing. Agriculturists are given cultivation loans,
crop loans and Jewel Loans through banks and other government financial
institutions at cheaper (4 % pa) rate of interest .We request you that
fishermen must be given Loan to develop their occupation at the rate of 4 %
pa interest. All loans availed by fishermen from banks, cooperative
societies and other government financial institutions to develop their
occupation, such as to purchase boat, net, engine and other auxiliary
equipment should be written off in the event of damages and loss occurred
to them due to natural disasters like cyclones, hurricanes, heavy rains
strong winds, sea erosions, sudden flood in rivers and occasionally Tsunami
waves.

Each and every year the fishermen met and felt great distress and anguish
throughout 8118 Km of Indian Coast by these natural calamities lost their
houses, boats , catamarans,  fishing boat engines, vallams, nets, other
instruments and equipment which ultimately resulted in losing their
livelihood struggling for daily bread. But while loan waiving decision is
taken by the Union Government it never considered the pathetic condition of
the vulnerable fishing community. At the same time it is an open secret
when the waiving of loans is provided to the Agriculturist the Poultries
and Dairies which are run by Corporates, Jamindars, Jahirdars and big
landlords had got their share of waving up to the tune of even more than
Rs. 50 Lakhs per individual. The 2013 – 2014 Budget submitted in the
parliament says the fisheries sector’s contribution to the GDP is 0.7 %.
Based on the facts provided by the government itself allocation of Rs.
3887.25 Crore on Planed expenditure and Rs. 7769.82 Crore on Non-Planed
expenditure for fisheries and fishermen welfare would be a justifiable one,
if it is done so. But in 2013-2014 Budget out of Rs. 2025 Crore allocated
for Agriculture Ministry, only Rs.317.30 Crore of rupees allocated to
fisheries and fishermen welfare. Major portion of this allocation will go
to the training and research institutions of the ministry, Only Rs. 8.5
Crore is meant for fishermen welfare.

During the last session of parliament Mrs. Purandareswari Union  Minister
informed the parliament that last year’s foreign exchange earnings through
sea food export is about Rs. 18,856 Crore and export value of Sea food was
9,28,215 Tones and this is 7.68 % more when compared to the previous year.
Hence our demand is that the GOI must allocate fund to the Fisheries and
Fishermen welfare Ministry on the basis of fisheries contribution to the
GDP and the fund be increased substantially. As the basic requirement for
fishing is diesel and kerosene, all the taxes including excise duty, sales
tax would be given exemption and would be supplied to the fishermen at the
production cost incurred by the government. Likewise for the Out Board
Engine Boats kerosene would be supplied at the public distribution system
(PDS) price. Respected leaders, we have hope and confidence that your party
would consider and realize all the above mentioned facts and if you would
have an opportunity to come to power after the ensuing Lok- Sabha elections
, we believe you would carry out necessary steps to solve our long pending
issues and demands even though it becomes too late.

With this at most faith and belief we request your good office while
preparing your party’s election manifesto include our demands and also with
an assurance to implement all our demands at the earliest possible time
after your party coming to power for which we would be very grateful to
your party’s good gesture . To add in your parties election manifesto and
to give a clear vision of our demands apart from the above said very
important demands herewith we enlisted the other important demands by
pointing them preciously.

   - The death of fishermen who lost their lives while fishing due to rough
   weather, thunder, cyclone, hurricane, lightning, heavy rains, storms,
   flood, Tsunami and sea erosion must be defined and declared as death due to
   natural calamities by the GOI and sufficient monitory assistance would be
   provided to those bereaved families from the central governments disaster
   management fund as a measure of rehabilitation. Monitory assistance also
   would be provided from the Honourable Prime Minister’s relief fund.
   - Strictly implement the banning of coastal sand mining on the sea
   shores as ordered by the National Green Tribunal.
   - Provide 10 Cents of land to each fishermen family for housing to those
   residing near the areas prone to sea erosion to ensure their fishing
   activities for their livelihood.
   -  GOI should ban coastal (Sea) reclamation.
   -  Ban and stop destructive fishing gears in Indian sea waters.
   - Immediately address the issue of Jambudip in West Bengal and save the
   livelihood of 20,000 fisher people.
   - Immediately stop the Sethu Samudaram canal project which affects the
   livelihood of 5 Lakhs fishermen of the six Districts of Tamil Nadu. The
   project will also affect the environment and lives of rare species of sea.
   - Retrieve Katchatheevu Island from Srilanka to ensure the livelihood of
   six Districts fishermen of Tamil Nadu and to settle the issue of the day to
   day arrest of Tamil fishermen, and seizure of Tamil Nadu boats by Sri
   Lankan Navy.
   - Stop extortion by Naval oil rig security guards in the Bombay high.
   - To encourage deep sea fishing, financial assistance would be provided
   to the fishermen by granting 50 % cash subsidy and other 50% as a loan at 4
   % pa rate of interest. In addition to the subsidy cum loan to the
   individual fishermen basic infrastructure to be provided to them by
   government organizations like NFDB by anchoring mother vessels in the deep
   sea to provide facility to supply necessary fuel to fishing boats and to
   preserve the fish catch in to the cold storage.
   -  GOI should allocate sufficient fund to rehabilitate the 600 fishermen
   families whose family heads were shot down dead by the Sri Lankan Navy
   while the innocent fishermen of 6 Districts of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry
   engaged in traditional fishing as usual in Palk Strait.
   - Due to the in human activities of Sri Lankan Navy, thousands of our
   innocent fishermen become physically handicapped persons and thus their
   family plunged into deep poverty. Government should provide necessary
   monitory assistance to rehabilitate those families.
   - A Bilateral dialogue would be arranged between Indian and Sri Lankan
   fishermen to achieve amicable settlement and to continue their inherited
   rights of fishing in Palk Strait. The GOI should ensure that no further
   arrest of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry State fishermen and seizure of boats by
   Sri Lankan navy.
   - Implement all the recommendations of the Murari Committee
   recommendations.
   - The GOI should scrap the LOP Scheme. Withdraw permits already given to
   the foreign vessels under this scheme. Stop promoting corporate involvement
   in deep Sea Fishing and reserve the deep sea resources for the benefit of
   the Indian traditional fishing communities.
   - Throughout the past 66 years of democratic governance, sufficient
   representation had not been given to fishermen community in the central
   cabinet. Only for 10 Months a fishermen was given a berth as MOS in the
   central cabinet. Hence sufficient representation has to be given to the
   fishermen community in the new cabinet after the 2014 parliament elections.
   - Likewise sufficient opportunity has also to be given to the fishermen
   candidates belonging to your political party to contest in the ensuing
   parliament elections.
   - The Thermal power projects largely affect the livelihood of the
   coastal fishermen and also the environment. Stop proposed thermal power
   projects on coastal Belt of India.
   -  Stop Polluting coastal and sea waters.
   - Ban and stop purse seine fishing to avoid over exploitation of
   fisheries wealth in Indian territorial waters.
   - Our demand is a Nuclear free India. Stop all Nuclear power plants in
   India since they are big threat to fishermen, Biodiversity and destruction
   of sea through Radiation. It is very costly. Nuclear Disaster has no way
   out after Fukushima and Chernobyl accidents.
   - Fish vending women all over India should be protected by having clean
   fish vending markets all over India without any taxation.
   - Stop all industrial Aquaculture farms all over India.
   - Make fishing legislation in the entire EEZ keeping fishing regulation
   from top downwards with a view to assessing the number of gears in the
   light of the availability of fish resource.
   - Safety of every fisherman should be guaranteed through identity cards.
   - Replace the coastal regulation zone notification with a Coastal
   Regulation Zone Act.
   - Our main demand is to have a Fisher’s Rights and Protection Act on par
   with Adhivasi’s protection and Rights act in the forest.
   - Our demand is to bring a Central Marine Fishing Act.
   - Restore fishing community rights in the marine and coastal protected
   areas that would include Sundarban Tiger Reserve, Bhitarkanika, Gahirmatha,
   Gulf of Mannar etc.

We submit all the above with the Hope and confidence for the better
realization of our grievous grievances and for the necessary actions
without any more delay to the welfare of our Indian fishermen.

Thanking You,

With Warm Regards,
Yours Sincerely,

M.Ilango
General Secretary

Fr. Thomas Kocherry
Former Chairperson

Rambhau Patil
Chairperson

T. Peter
Secretary

Vasudev Boloor
Secretary

Pradeep Chatterjee
Secretary

National Fishworkers’ Forum






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