Assn to bring unity of fishermen floated in Pondy

Puducherry, Dec 4 (UNI) In a bid to bring unity among the fishermen, a new association 'Meenava Makkal Munnetra Iyyakkam' was floated here today.

Addressing a press conference, association convenor V S Krishnaraj and president P Sakthivel said the association, which was apolitical, would strive for the welfare of the fishermen community in the Union Territory.

They urged the administration to take immediate steps to set up a fishermen welfare board and construct houses for them in all tsunami-affected areas besides setting up fish processing and export units.

Stating that the fishermen in Karaikal region and Tamil Nadu were being attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy, they urged the Centre and state governments to take immediate steps to protect the fishermen and provide adequate compensation.

They also demanded that the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government should take steps to bring back peace in Sri Lanka and to provide due rights to the Tamils in the island nation.

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