Fishermen refuse to shift, threaten stir

Mumbai: Fishermen from Chhatr-apati Shivaji Fish Market — located near south Mumbai’s Crawford Market — are up in arms against the civic body for directing them to shift base to Airoli, as they feel their business would be badly affected.

The BMC has recently given them a notice to shift the market to the Navi Mumbai area, where a spot has been allotted to them, from August 1.

A delegation from Akhil Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti (AMMKS) met Maharashtra Navnir-man Sena chief Raj Thackeray to discuss the matter.

The president of AMMKS, Damodar Tandel, said, “The BMC had sent us the notice without prior intimation. We strongly protest against this, as it will affect almost 15,000 fisherwomen. We get fish from Sassoon Dock and Bhaucha Dhakka and transporting them to Airoli is difficult. The fish market has been in the heart of Mumbai for years. It is huge and 150 trucks are parked there.”

Accusing the civic body of engaging in doublespeak, Mr Tandel added, “The BMC wants to build a 17-storey building by demolishing our one-storey market. The BMC had replied in the Bombay high court in 2017 that activities in the fish market would continue but it sanctioned the 17-storey building in the Development Plan 2034. It is injustice, and if we are forced to shift, we will protest and will stop the supply of fish to Mumbai.”

MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande said Mr Thackeray would meet municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi next week to discuss the issue. “There will be no injustice to the fishermen,” he said.