SILCHAR, Dec 5: The Cachar District Fishermen Union (CDFU) has expressed serious resentment on the apathetic attitude of the district administration towards their problems and its indifference to resolve the same. The CDFU members said with demand for fish rising in the market and supply decreasing, the prices of all varieties are escalating due to which both the consumers and traders in the business are hard-hit.
CDFU members, therefore, articulated their grievances in a memorandum and submitted it to the Chief Minister through the Cachar Deputy Commissioner. CDFU president Parimal Paul said there was no crisis of fish in the market until a few years back. This was because of the adequate support from the government both financially and materially, he said and added that pisciculture was not only promoted but given priority, considering its financial potential and huge public demand.
Paul added natural wet lands and ponds were utilized for fish production but unfortunately, such water bodies are fast shrinking due to rise in human population and ecological imbalance. He also pointed out that schemes for fishing and its production have been initiated in other States but this employment generating field was constantly neglected in Assam.
Paul said the government is stressing on fish export from other areas and the financial assistance from the Centre is not being properly utilized. Some of the centrally sponsored schemes, according to him, are the National Scheme for Welfare of Fishermen and Training and Extension, Development of Model Fishermen Village as well as group accident insurance for active fishermen.
CDFU general secretary Subal Das, on the other hand, demanded issue of identity cards to genuine and active fishermen in order to extend benefits of Central schemes, besides providing them loans for the development of fishery. Before submitting the memorandum, the CDFU members and supporters staged a protest demonstration before the office of the Deputy Commissioner. THE SENTINEL
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