Fisherfolk restrain Essel World visitors, 100 detained

Fisherfolk restrain Essel World visitors, 100 detained
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, JULY 8: More than 100 fishermen were detained when they staged a `dharna' obstructing passenger boats from plying visitors to Essel World at Gorai this morning.

According to Borivali police, the fishermen were arrested for creating a law and order problem and have been charged under section 143-149 of the IPC. A thorough investigation is being made into the incident, said a senior police officer.

Problem started around 8.30 am when a large number of fishermen from the adjoining village stormed the jetty at Borivali and Malad to prevent passenger boats belonging to Essel World from plying in the creek. According to the fishermen, the passengers were damaging their nets resulting in low catch. This has directly affected their livelihood, claimed the fishermen.

The protest assumes significance in light of the fact that the fishermen are forbidden from sailing out to sea during monsoons. As a fallout, they are forced to fish in the narrow creek where there tidal flushing is low.

The focal area in Gorai creek measures about two kilometer in length and it is about 500 metres wide. The adjoining mangrove swamps are breeding grounds for fish over the year.

Essel World sources on the other hand claimed that they have obtained permission from the Mumbai Port Trust and BMC with respect to using the creek since the inception of the park in 1989.

Over the years the fishermen from the adjoining village at Gorai, Manori and Uttan have been complaining that the increased activity of passenger boats in the area has been affecting fishing in the creek, the livelihood of over 1,000 fishermen.