Fishermen stage demonstration

Puducherry, Jun 16 (UNI) Mechanised fishing boat owners today locked the Puducherry Cooperative Fishing Federation office and held a demonstation infront of it to press their demands.

They were demanding the provision of basic amenities at the Thengaithittu fishing harbour, diesel at subsidised rate and setting up of an ice plant.

About 50 boat owners, led by Mr Kangeyan, President, Veerampatinam village panchayat, picketed the federation office.

Later, they called off the agitation after the Secretary of the federation reached the venue and assured them to fulfil their demands.

In another incident, traffic on the Maramalai Adigal Saalai was affected for about half an hour as the autorickshaw and tempo drivers resorted to a road blockade.

The agitators said representatives of auto and tempo operators associations were invited for a discussion on traffic rules by Traffic Inspector Selvam. But they were allegedly made to wait for more than one and a half hours at the traffic police station.

They also alleged that traffic officials behaved in a rude manner to them. Following this, the auto and tempo drivers resorted to road blockade.

However, following the intervention from senior police officials, they called off the strike.

UNI PAB DS 1757