Provide relief to inland fishermen hit by drought: NFF

: National Fisherfolk Forum today appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to extend relief to inland fishermen in the State as they were also "affected due to the unprecedenteddrought like the farmers."

NFF chairman M Ilango said in a release here that Tamil Nadu was now reeling due to drought and agriculturists and farm workers had been hit hard due to failure of the monsoon.

While providing aid to drought-hit farmers, the Tamil Nadu government should also extend relief to inland fishermen, who suffered as water bodies had gone dry, affecting fishing activities.

He said the government should procure sufficient funds from the Centre to deepen and rejuvenate water bodies in the state so that inland fishermen don't suffer.
 

In this regard, Ilango said the government should provide relief to inland fishermen on the lines of one provided to coastal fishermen during the fishing ban in the Bay of Bengal.

"Puducherry government is providing relief both to coastal fishermen and inland fishermen and this should be emulated by the Tamil Nadu government," Ilango said.