Shipwreck: fishermen hold protest meet seeking compensation

Fishermen under the banner of the All Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Federation organised a protest gathering in front of the Secretariat here on Wednesday, demanding that steps be taken to address damage to the fishing sector due to the capsize of MSC Elsa-3 off the coast of Kerala.

The fishermen along the coast of Kerala have sustained significant loss after the wreckage of the Liberian-flagged vessel destroyed nets, inflicting loss to the tune of lakhs of rupees.

The fishing nets of many boats are being destroyed by the debris. The State and Union governments have not taken any steps to remove the wreckage of the containers and the ship. Although the State government filed an admiralty suit demanding a compensation of ₹9,531 crore for the loss inflicted on fishermen and the marine ecosystem, the State has not furnished any concrete evidence in support of the admiralty suit in the Kerala High Court, the fishermen alleged.

A.A. Assis, national president, United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), who inaugurated the protest gathering, said that the government was favouring the shipping company, though it filed an admiralty suit. Among the various demands raised by the fishermen are removing the wreckage of containers and the ship from the sea, providing compensation to the fishermen who were injured following collision of the fishing vessels with the wreckage, submitting evidence in support of the case in the court and withdrawing the proposed sea sand-mining project and the move to grant permission for deep-sea fishing to large companies.