Missing fishermen: Delegation meets Arun Jaitley

A delegation of fishermen led by Akhila Bharatha Meenugarara Vedike and MPs from coastal districts met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi on Tuesday.

They submitted a memorandum urging the Centre to track down the seven missing fishermen with the help of the latest technology.

The fishermen urged the Centre to keep fisheries out of GST ambit and announce a separate ministry for the fisheries. The fishermen said that 8% cess levied on diesel supplied to fishermen should be removed and the supply of kerosene to traditional fishermen should be resumed.

Few boats leave

Malpe Fishermen Association had decided on a combined search for the fishing boat, Suvarna Tribhuja. But on Monday night, only 15 to 20 boats with Tamil Nadu crew members left for deep sea fishing cum search operation.

Association General Secretary Gopal K R said the plans for a combined search was shelved as “Kalasi” (labourers) from Uttara Kannada had promised to go on a search after January 11. The boats will be sailing into the deep sea in batches and will also engage in search operations,” he said.

Confirmed

The investigation into the splinters of plastic containers, found floating in the sea near Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, were confirmed that they came from the missing fishing boat ‘Suvarna Tribhuja.’ Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi told DH that the plastic containers were found by the fishermen in the area.

The department also had contacted the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, Karnataka State Remote Sensing Centre (KSRSC) and Isro for help in the search for the missing fishermen.