Civic body mulls hawker tag to city’s fishermen

IF BMC has its way, then the fisherfolk will need licences to sell fish in around & around Mumbai

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to regularise roadside fisher men. The license department functioning under the civic corporation suggested that roadside fisher men come under hawkers’ policy. However, the Legal Committee members strongly raised objection to it. Sheetal Mhatre, corporator of the Shiv Sena, vehemently opposed the move and stated that fishermen are true inhabitants of the city. They cannot be brought under the hawkers’ policy.

Mhatre remarked, “A new policy should be brought by the corporation to regularise fishermen. This demand was appreciated by all parties in the legal committee on Thursday.”

Also fisher men are not outsiders of the city. Therefore, the community should be brought under special category, Mahtre addded.

According to the BMC there are 240 fisher men, who sit in the market and only they can be given a licence. However, corporators insisted that apart from fishermen who sit in the market there are also many who sell fish on the road and they too should be given licences, in order to avoid any fines or action from municipal authorities. Once they are regularised they can also get water and electricity connections and can also get toilet facilities.

Sudhir Naik, Deputy Municipal Corporation, said currently they are focusing on fisher men selling on the roads. “The corporation wants to regularise the roadside fishermen, since they sit on the road. Since they have no place in the market they cannot be brought under the market policy. That is why the licence department suggested they come under the hawkers’ policy, which can give them few benefits.”

However, the fisher men are opposed to this policy.