KK Ragesh of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other opposition members such as Tiruchi Siva, D Raja and MV Rajeev Gowda had moved the motion.
The opposition on Tuesday alleged that foreign trawlers, operating through shell companies, were looting sea wealth and violating Indian waters, though the government clarified that no deep-sea foreign trawlers were permitted to operate. Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh clarified on the issue in Rajya Sabha, replying to a calling attention motion by opposition parties on deep-sea fishing.
KK Ragesh of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other opposition members such as Tiruchi Siva, D Raja and MV Rajeev Gowda had moved the motion. Ragesh was the lead speaker and alleged that trawlers are working in Exclusive Economic Zone in Indian seas under Letter of Permit (LoP) issued by agriculture ministry. "The LoP is not given to foreign trawlers directly... it is being issued to Indian shell companies and Indian fishing vessels," Ragesh said.
Ragesh added that only 477 tonnes of fish was reported in 2015 even as LOPs for 800 vessels were issued. "It is not a small matter. It involves millions of dollars of corruption," he said.
Replying to the members, Singh said, "Foreign trawlers are banned since 1997 and no LoP has been issued. Our Coast Guard is regularly monitoring through ships and aircraft. Three vessels from Sri Lanka and one from Pakistan were apprehended this year itself."
He added, "LoPs had been granted only to the Indian owned resource-specific deep-sea fishing vessels. The LOP vessels were in operation since 2002 till 2015. No foreign deep sea trawlers with the LOP are operating in the Indian EEZ."
Opposition members also alleged that some of the foreign trawlers, operating through shell companies, are transferring fish catch mid-sea instead of bringing it to Indian shores. To this, the minister replied that there was no information regarding mid-sea trans-shipment in the EEZ by foreign vessels.
(With PTI inputs)
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