Traditional fishermen want fiberglass boats to be allowed for attending festival at Katchatheevu

Rameswaram fishermen protest for fiberglass boats at St. Antony's Church festival, seeking affordable travel options for all attendees.

Rameswaram traditional fishermen association on Wednesday staged a protest demanding the authorities to allow them to use fiberglass reinforced plastic motorised boats for attending the annual celebrations at the St. Antony’s Church in Katchatheevu,

Protesters said both mechanized boats and country boats were allowed to attend the festival. 

Traditional fishermen from places like Olaikuda, Sangumal, SK Patti, among others could not afford spending ₹1,300 for a person to travel in the mechanized boats, said, an advocate J. Brinso Raymond. 

“We appealed to the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to permit fiberglass boats which could accommodate about nine to ten people at an affordable rate,” he added.  

The court in 2024 ordered the district administration and the fisheries department to decide on the matter for allowing fiberglass boats, but no communication for allowing the boats was given yet, he alleged.  

The officials who claim that the fiberglass boats would be dangerous for the passengers, should inspect their stability and give permit, he said.  

While traditional fishermen were the ones who attended the festival from the time it was started, now due to their inability to spend money they were unable to attend the festival, Mr. Raymond said.