Fish workers Blocked Orissa Assembly

UPDATE FROM CHILIKA.

About 25000 fishermen and women blockaded the main approach road to the
Orissa state assembly house under the auspicious of Chilika Mastyajibi
Mahasangha  demanding immediate demolition of all prawn farms in Chilika
lake.  They demanded implementation of the supreme court judgement of
12th December 1996 banning all aquaculture with in 1000 meters of the
Chilika lake and with in the coastal regulation zone, i.e 500 Mts. from
the high tide line along the coastline of the country.  
The Orissa Assembly was beginning its monsoon session today(July 2).  
The blockade started at 11 am.
A delegation of fisherpeople held talks with the chief minister who
reassured the leaders that all kinds of aquaculture will be banned in
Chilika.  For this purpose a bill will be passed in the current session
of of the assembly.  The huge gathering continued till 5.00 PM and
dispersed after persuasion by the leaders of all opposition parties if
the state.  
The meeting was presided over by The President of Chilika Matsyajibi
Mahasangha (CMM)  Shri. Raghunath Bala.
Among those who spoke on the occasion were Shri Harekrishna
Debnath(Chairperson National Fish workers Forum),
Shri Anadi Behra, secretary CMM, B.B Harichandan, Narasingha Mishra(state
MLA's), P.K Das, Abani kumar Baral, state secretary Communist party of
India.  shri Janardhan Pati state secretary Communist Party of India
(Marxist)  were  among the speakers.

K. ALAYA

( All Orissa Traditional Marine Fishery People Federation)

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*****
Thomas Xavier Kocherry
Co-ordinator,  World Forum of Fish-harvesters and Fishworkers  [WFF]
Co-ordinator, National Alliance of Peoples Movements (India), [NAPM]
Velankanny, Junction, Valiathura,  Thiruvananthapuram 695 008,  INDIA
Phone & Fax: +91 - 471 - 50 1376;
E-mail: nff@md2.vsnl.net.in   Website:
http://www.south-asian-initiative.org/wff