Fishermen want SIT inquiry on Rs 500 crore scam

Fishermen associations in the state have demanded an SIT inquiry on an alleged Rs 500 crore scam ran by Rajamata Vikar Machhimar Sahakari Sanstha and 14 other fishing associations, which has swindled funds through grants provided under National Cooperative Development Corporation schemes.

The fishermen have claimed that while these associations availed funds for building ice factories, cold storages, and export-oriented fish treatment centres at Sassoon Docks, all these have remained just on paper. The fishermen have now approached fisheries department to launch an inquiry and take legal action against the organisations responsible.

Talking about his charges and allegations, Damodar Tandel, president of Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti, said that the scam was revealed through RTI enquiries, responded by fisheries department on June 8, 2016. He claimed that one Rajamata Vikas Machhimat Sahakari Sanstha alone is responsible for swindling about Rs 62 crore from March 2009 until now. “The association was allotted over Rs 3 crore to build an ice factory and cold storage centre at Sasoon Docks. However, even after six years, nothing has materialised. At the same time, they also were granted over Rs 39 lakh to build 30 fishing vessels but not a single vessel has been built in the past nine years,” said Mr Tandel.

He added that similarly, about 14 such different associations have swindled about Rs 150 crore to build 306 fishing vessels, which never materialised. However, the associations have also availed grants for diesel aid provided by state government for the vessels. Mr Tandel said they had appealed to former minister of state Eknath Khadse for an enquiry on the same, on which Mr Khadse had appealed to the chief secretary to conduct an enquiry and furnish a report on the same.

“Many of the associations are owned by people who in reality do not even follow the profession. But still the organisations under NCDC schemes availed over Rs 100 crore to build fishing vessels worth Rs 50 lakh each. There have been large-scale project approvals given to build 30-40 vessels and in reality the scammers have only repaired defunct vessels,” added Mr Tandel.

The fishermen associations have demanded a departmental enquiry before taking a decisive step on July 27. They have said that if such allotments will go on, they would go on a statewide strike until the enquiry report is furnished.