AIADMK Legislative Party Leader A. Anbalagan on Friday led fishermen belonging to his constituency on an Assembly march in protest against the undue delay by State government in undertaking dredging in the area near the Thengaithittu fishing harbour here.
Mud and silt were piled up near the entry point of boats from sea at the fishing harbour. Fishermen and boat-owners found it difficult to let their boats into sea for fishing or coming back into the fishing harbour as no dredging has been done here for several months. The fishermen from Thengaithittu, Vambakeerapalayam, and Veerampatinam have been agitating over the delay in dredging as their livelihood was severely hit.
Along with two hundred-odd fishermen, the AIADMK MLA Mr. Anbalagan who represents Uppalam constituency where a majority of fishermen live, assembled near Government General Hospital and tried to take out a rally towards the State Legislative Assembly but a large police posse barricaded them.
They managed to come near the gate of Assembly but were prevented by police from advancing any further. Heated exchanges erupted between the police and the agitators. Mr. Anbalagan shouted slogans against the police and government.
“Fishermen have been unable to go to sea as there was no dredging done in the entry point. When we try to give a representation on the plight of fishermen to Chief Minister N. Rangasamy or any other representative, who gave the authority to police to prevent an MLA from entering into the Assembly premises?,” an agitated Mr. Anbalagan wondered.
Soon, Speaker P. Sabapathy came out of his chamber to pacify Mr. Anabalagan and other leaders. Mr. Anbalagan wanted the Speaker to initiate action against the policemen.
Later, the Speaker called them into his chamber and gave a patient hearing.
Mr. Anbalagan also demanded that the State government undertake the dredging work instead of contracting a private company, which invariably led to allegations of irregularities every year.
“As there was silt for nearly 100 meters, our boats get damaged frequently when we enter inside the fishing harbour. Hence the government should expedite the dredging work”, said V. Velavan, president of Puducherry Deep Sea Fishing Boat Owners Association.
