The Fisheries Coordination Committee called for a 24-hour total coastal shutdown protesting against the Centre’s move to mine the sea off the Kollam coast. The Committee includes members from the traditional political fronts in the state — the ruling CPI(M)-led Left and the Congress-led UDF. The protest has turned out to be a success, as the fishing sector and others are participating in protest meetings. The Latin Church and its members have also expressed their solidarity and are taking part in the protest. The state has approximately 4,000 trawlers and over 25,000 other fishing vessels. Kerala’s fishing industry directly employs around 2.5 lakh people, with another 15 lakh relying on it indirectly. The Union Ministry of Mines initiated the tendering process in November 2024, and the winning bidder is expected to be announced by March 27. The protesters want the Centre to revoke the decision to allow sand mining from three blocks with a total area of 242 sq km. This is going to give greater impetus to the upcoming Parliament march scheduled for March 12.
The Fisheries Coordination Committee called for a 24-hour total coasta….
