Row over on-water trespassing by Puri fishermen

JAGATSINGHPUR : ON-WATER trespassing of Puri fishermen has irked the locals of Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. 

They alleged that hundreds of fishermen from Astarang, Kakatpur, Nuagada, Balidiha and Kaliakakhauri in Puri are trespassing into the waters of rivers, creeks and sea in the two districts by obtaining licence from the Fishery department to catch fish. As a result, it has affected the livelihood of fishermen of Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara. 

Protesting the practice, local fishermen, under the banner of Kalinga Karnadhar Primary Fishermen Cooperative Society, on Saturday staged demonstration in front of the office of Assistant Director of Fishery (Marine) at Kujang. President of the society Jyotiranjan Samal said though a meeting was fixed to resolve the issue on February 26, seven fishermen of Puri have applied to obtain licence for their boats from the Assistant Director of Fishery, Kujang. 

They sought the intervention of higher authorities of Fishery department and urged them to stop the registration of boat of Puri fishermen.
Later, Assistant Director of Fishery,  Kujang Manas Ranjan Sahoo pacified the fishermen and assured them to solve the problem soon. Sources said there are four Assistant Directors of Fishery (Marine) in Kujang, Puri, Ganjam and Balasore in the State to provide boat licence to fishermen.