Mangaluru: The Karnataka Purse-Seine Meenugarara Sangha and the Mangalore Trawl Boat Meenugarara Sangha have clarified that the fishing community in Bunder is not part of the protest march being organised by the CPM in the area.Chethan Bengre of the Trawl Boat Association told reporters on Monday that fishermen remained united irrespective of caste or religion. “We pursued all our demands with the state govt in a united manner through an action committee that has members from 63 fishermen organisations,” he said.Bengre said, “If CPM leaders were genuinely concerned about the fishermen community, they should have helped the fishing boats from Karnataka that were slapped with hefty fines in neighbouring Kerala, where the party is in power. They should ensure that fishermen from Mangaluru are not harassed in Kerala.”Purse Seine Fishermen Association president Anil Kumar said the pending work on the third phase of the fisheries harbour has been approved at a cost of Rs 49.5 crore. As the old wharf is in poor condition, and with the association’s efforts, various development works under phase 1 and phase 2 are being undertaken at the cost of Rs 37.5 crore, he said.
