Protest against cut in kerosene supply

Fishermen under the aegis of the Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi, TUCI, have protested against the move to scale down the quantity of kerosene supplied through PDS outlets and claimed that the decision would badly affect fishermen community.


A statement issued by the president of the Vedi, Charles George, said here on Wednesday that the quantum of kerosene through PDS outlets in the State had been scaled down gradually over the last five years with the total supplies being reduced by 13,000 kilo litres over the period.


The statement claimed that with the curb on subsidised kerosene, the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation had stopped selling kerosene. With the Union government not making any special supplies for fishing boats, the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation has been setting aside a portion of the kerosene allotted to it for fishing sector. The current decision to further cut kerosene allocation to the State will create a crisis for the fishing community in the State, which has 17,336 units of out-board engines mainly using kerosene as fuel.


Meanwhile, preparations for the formation of a human chain demanding protection to the lives and livelihood of fishermen in the State on April 28 is in full swing.