Load-men in faceoff with fish traders in Rameswaram

RAMESWARAM: Loading and unloading operations of fish consignment at Rameswaram fishing harbour has been hit as load-men resent any reduction in their daily wages, even as traders remained unrelenting on their demand.

The impasse has added to the frustration of Rameswaram fishermen who are unable to sell their daily catch.

While load-men had been so far receiving Rs 50 per icebox they load and unload from transport vehicles, after the fish catch arrives in the port here, representatives of fish traders say that they would henceforth pay only Rs 40 per ice box, which will be on par with the rates paid to load-men at other fishing harbours across TN.

Initially, Rameswaram DSP, Muthuramalingam tried to sort out the issue between the two conflicting parties, but could make no headway.

Meanwhile, the fish traders on Sunday refused to buy any fish from the fishermen who returned to the shore with their catch after a six-day statewide work stoppage by the latter to protest the repeated arrests of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Sources said that on the DSP's suggestion that a tripartite meeting between representatives of the load-men, fish traders and fishermen could be held to sort out the daily wage issue, transactions at the fishing harbour picked up late on Sunday, albeit slowly.

Fish traders cry hoarse of rising costs, even load-men demand that there should be no reduction in whatever they have been getting so far as wages amid rising prices.

The fish traders refusal to buy the fish from the fishermen also hits the latter and results in distress sales by the fishermen, sources said, the impasse has affected all the three sections.

The Ramanathapuram district administration has to intervene and resolve the issue quickly, the representatives from all three sides urged.