Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 27 February 2025
The fishermen community of Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar, is currently staging a chakkajam at Zero Point to demand the urgent repair of the ice plant and cold storage facility operated by the Fisheries Department. The protest has intensified as their repeated appeals for action remain unaddressed.
The Fishermen Gram Sangam, Campbell Bay, had earlier issued a warning about the protest in a letter dated 10 February 2025. On 24 February, the organization once again notified the Director of Fisheries and senior officials of the Administration about their intention to stage a peaceful demonstration on 27 February. They also stated that if no action was taken by 11 AM on the day of the protest, they would resort to a chakkajam.
As planned, the protest began peacefully in front of the Fisheries Department’s ice plant and cold storage facility. However, when no concrete action was taken by 11 AM, the protesters moved to Zero Point and staged a chakkajam, blocking the road to press for their demands.
Several senior BJP leaders are participating in the demonstration, including Mr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, State Vice President of BJP and Zilla Parishad Member of Govind Nagar/Campbell Bay Constituency; Mr. E. S. Rajesh, District President of BJP and Pramukh of Panchayat Samiti, Campbell Bay; Mr. K. C. Murugan, Mandal President of BJP, Campbell Bay; and Mr. G. Venkat Rao, Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Govind Nagar. They are standing alongside the protesting fishermen, amplifying their demand for immediate repairs.
The ice plant and cold storage facility, though operational, is not functioning properly due to technical issues, severely impacting the livelihood of the fishing community in Great Nicobar. Fishermen are struggling to preserve their catch efficiently, leading to financial losses, and their daily fishing activities are being hindered due to inadequate manufacturing of ice.
The ongoing protest highlights the urgent need for the Administration to take swift action to address the grievances of the fishing community, ensuring that their livelihoods are not further jeopardized.