Visakhapatnam: Recently-elected MLA Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav from the Visakhapatnam South constituency convened a meeting on Monday with members of the AP Mechanized Fishing Boat Operators Association to address pressing concerns within the local fishing community.
.Several critical issues were discussed during the meeting. A primary concern was the prompt disbursement of government funds for 36 fishing boats. The fishermen’s leaders insisted that these funds be allocated directly to the boat owners. Additionally, they highlighted the need for compensation for 15 fishing boats lost at sea since 2019, recommending that action be taken beyond merely sending a report to the government. A major focus of the meeting was the diesel subsidy arrears, amounting to Rs 2.77 crore.
These arrears affect approximately 300 fishing boats for the period between 2017 and 2020, and the fishermen requested their prompt release. Furthermore, the incident of a fishing boat catching fire at Pulu Nama on June 17, 2024, was discussed. Fisheries department officials have assessed the compensation for this incident at Rs 20.50 lakh. In response, MLA Vamsikrishna Srinivas assured the fishermen that their concerns would be addressed urgently. He has already met with the joint director of the Fisheries department and promised to secure justice and support for all affected parties.
