The former Minister was speaking at a convention of fishermen’s organisations, boat owners, and other stakeholders to draw up an action plan of protest against the Union government’s move.
She said that the steps being taken up by the Union government under the banner of Blue Economy would spell disaster for the fishing sector in the State. It will hit livelihood of lakhs of people. The Fisheries sector should stand up as one against it, she added.
S. Sarma, who is also a former Fisheries Minister, said that the government move appeared as if it was not even allowing the people their right to live. He said that mining of the seas had landed several nations into serious trouble in the past. These experiences cannot be overlooked.
Former Fisheries Minister J. Merykuttyamma said here on Monday that people’s anger should rise against “looting of natural resources”. She said the latest attempt by the Union government to pave the way for mining the seas for minerals was an attempt to take away the resources from the people and hand them over to private monopolies.