India News | Fishermen Seek Balance Between Livelihood Concerns and Protection of Ecology
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. A representative body of fishermen in West Bengal has underscored the need for striking a balance between livelihood concerns of those belonging to the sector and protecting the ecology of the coastal region in the updated coastal zone management plan of the state, its official said on Thursday.
Kolkata, Sep 8 (PTI) A representative body of fishermen in West Bengal has underscored the need for striking a balance between livelihood concerns of those belonging to the sector and protecting the ecology of the coastal region in the updated coastal zone management plan of the state, its official said on Thursday.
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The Purba Medinipur Matsyajibi Forum (PMMF) Thursday urged the administration to take steps to ensure larger attendance of those in the sector at the public hearings on updated coastal zone management plan.
"We call for wider representation of the fishermen community and other coastal inhabitants in Purba Medinipur in any exercise to finalise the draft CRZ. They are the bhumiputras (sons of the soil)," President of Dakshin Banga Matsyajibi Forum (DBMF) Debasis Shyamal told PTI.
DBMF is the state chapter of the National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers, comprising fishermen of different coastal states.
A public hearing to finalise the draft Coastal Regional Zone (CRZ) notification, 2019 was held at Nimtouri in Purba Medinipur district on September 6 after the PMMF complained that it was left out of the earlier one held on August 22 and that the views of its members on striking a balance between livelihood of fishermen and at the same time maintaining the ecology of the coastal region were not heard.
The PMMF suggested that the district authorities make proper public announcement for all coastal villages and fish landing centers to ensure wide attendance of the local fishing and other coastal communities in such meetings in the future.
It also sought sufficient time for people to access the maps and plan translated in the vernacular and respond as per provisions of the CRZ notification and Environment Protection Act, 1986, PMMF sources said.
A senior environment department official, who participated in the hearing on virtual mode from Kolkata, said the suggestions will be incorporated in the exercise to prepare the draft.
"There will be more such hearings in the coming days," he added. PTI SUS
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)