10 February,2023 07:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representative Image. Pic/iStock
Peoples Union of Civil Liberties Maharashtra on Friday condemned the arrests and criminal cases filed against fisherfolk of Uran Koliwada who have been protesting against the destruction of their fishing areas due to multiple projects being carried out by JNPT, CIDCO, NMSEZ and other companies over several years.
On February 7, 30 fisherfolk from Uran Koliwada were arrested and an FIR was filed against them under sections 353, 341, 143, 141, 186, 109, 506 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. They were produced before the JMFC Court, Uran and remanded to judicial custody until February 20.
In a statement PUCL said that the fisherfolk from Uran Koliwada have been protesting against the rampant and widespread destruction of their fishing areas due to various projects carried out by JNPT, CIDCO, NMSEZ and other companies for several years.
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"In a number of orders passed by the Bombay High Court and the National Green Tribunal it has been held that the fisherfolk have a customary right to fish for a living in the creeks, in this case the Uran Creek. These projects have detrimentally impacted the practice of such customary rights."
People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Maharashtra condemned the destruction of the fishing areas and the "reign of terror" unleashed on the affected fisherfolk who are merely asserting their customary rights and their right to a decent livelihood. "PUCL Maharashtra demands that they be allowed to fish in the area, including the Uran Creek, unhindered and the areas that have been illegally reclaimed be restored immediately," the statement said.
PUCL called upon the government to ensure that the police authorities stop criminalizing the fisherfolk for exercising their constitutional right to protest. It also demanded that the FIR and any other criminal cases filed against the fisherfolk be withdrawn immediately and those arrested be forthwith and unconditionally released.
