[Reader-list] Fishing Community Undertake March to MPEDA

[T Peter]

Fishing Community Undertake March to MPEDA

Ernakulam: In protest against the signing of the agreement by the Indian
government to import fish from 27 countries of the European Union, the
fishing community marched to the MPEDA at Ernakulam under the leadership
of the Kerala Swatanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation. The march was
inaugurated by T. Peter, the state president of Kerala Swatanthra Matsya
Thozhilali Federation. T. Peter stated that this policy of the central
government  will affect the livelihood of lakhs of traditional small scale
fish-workers and deny the job opportunities of fish sellers of which
majority are women. T. Peter cautioned that this policy of the government
to import fish would give rise to many health hazards because India does
not have the facilities to find out the right quantity of antibiotics and
other chemicals to preserve the imported fish. T. Peter warned that if the
government does not go back on their decision to import fish a nationwide
protest would be undertaken. KSMTF General Secretary A. Andrews, Ernakulam
district president P.V. Wilson, District secretary N.J.Antony,
V.S.Podiyan, P.T.Muhammad Koya, M.Ambrose, J.P.john, Anto Elias, Elizabath
Antony, Maglin Peter also expressed their strong dissent against the
present move of the central government.
The KSMTF stated that this issue is not just of the fishing community
alone since it involves millions of people who eat fish in this country.
They appealed to all sections of the civil society to support this
struggle.

http://www.keralafishworkers.org
http://www.alakal.net