Bhubaneswar: Thousands of fishermen today staged protest at the Lower PMG in Odisha capital demanding fulfillment of their 6-point charter of demands.
The agitators reportedly came from Paradip in buses, last night. Holding flags, the fishermen resorted to sloganeering to press their demands under the banner of Odisha Fishermen Association.
Alleging exploitation by the government, the fishermen raised the issue of lack of attention to their community’s needs compared to measures taken in other states to support livelihoods. The absence of diesel subsidies, a key demand, was highlighted during the protest.
“If our demands aren’t addressed, our agitation will intensify,” a leader of the association said.
Another protester underscored the need for river mouth dredging to prevent accidents. Additionally, demands were made for inclusion of fishermen families in Public Distribution System (PDS) and other social security schemes during fishing bans.
“We’ve advocated for a welfare fund for the fishermen community, but our appeals have gone unanswered,” he added.
