ORISSA FISHERMEN THREATEN TO BOYCOTT POLLS

24 April 2004, (ANI)

Kendrapara (Orissa), Apr 23 (ANI): The fishing community here has threatened to boycott the national polls if the authorities did not lift a ban on fishing during April-November.Half of Orissa's 21 constituencies voted on Tuesday and 10 more are slated for the second phase of polling on April 26.



The Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1980 restricts any trawler from operating off the coast during the fish-breeding season from April to November. In 1997, the state government banned fishing within 20 kilometers off the coast to protect the marine life.



More than 10,000 fishermen living in this area have decided to boycott polls. 'We will not vote for anyone until they solve our problems. Otherwise we will boycott the elections. We have decided to do that,' Tushar Kant Sarkar, a fisherman said.



The district authorities say the ban was necessary to protect marine wealth. Kendrapara District Collector Hemant Sharma said that the fishermen should also explore land-based resources for their livelyhood.



'We have abundant land-based resources in the (Kendrapara) district. In fact we have the largest concentration of creeks and rivers in our district. There is a need to turn people's economic attention towards these resources and provide them help through

training and other services etc, which is being done. It's a long term process, it will take time. Fishermen depending on these limited resources should try them,' Sharma said. (ANI)