A petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Central and state governments to pay 500 rupees per day to fishermen during the fishing ban period. The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose today, issued notices to the Centre and state to reply by 28th April.

The petitioner, Fisherman Care, while referring to a policy note of the state government, submitted that for the year 2017-18 the ban period has been increased from 45 days to 61 days and the existing fishing ban relief assistance of 2,000 rupees had been enhanced to 5,000 rupees.

The petitioner also submitted there were no alternative employment opportunities in coastal areas during the ban period and in such circumstances the relief amount of 5,000 rupees given to fish workers for 61 days is insufficient to run their families.

Submitting that any fisherman on a successful trawling gets anywhere between 1,500 to 2,500 rupees, the petitioner said preventing him from doing business at the same time offering only 83 rupees per day offends Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution.

The fishing ban in Tamil Nadu came into effect on 15th April.