Traditional fishing boats might have to switch to engines which run on petrol or diesel, now that the Centre has refused to allocate more kerosene for the State, Minister for Sports, Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage V. Abdurahiman has said.
Replying to a calling attention motion by P.P.. Chitharanjan on the hardships faced by traditional fishers because of the shortage of kerosene and the need to rehabilitate families living along the coast, Mr. Abdurahiman said that a meeting of fishermen and trade unions would be called soon to discuss the issue of switching from kerosene to petrol or diesel as fuel for fishing boats.
The Centre had been apprised of the difficulties faced by the fishermen because of the non-availability of kerosene. The State was facing severe sea erosion at 50 locations.
The State government was implementing Punargeham, a rehabilitation scheme for fishermen whose homes were just 50 meter from the high tide line, at ₹2,450 crore.
The government reckons that 21,000 families would have to be rehabilitated. None would be forcefully removed. A total of 8,375 families had volunteered to move away from the coast and for them flat complexes had been proposed in nine locations, Mr. Abdurahiman said.
