In the run-up to the assembly elections, fishermen in Versova village are ready with their demands. Right on top of their list is that they be immediately paid their pending subsidy on diesel for the last 24 months. Sitting by his boat supervising men stocking ice to preserve the catch, Sachin Chinchay says the government owes him subsidy for 72,000 litres diesel he purchased for his two boats. “Subsidy is about Rs 10 per diesel,” he says. While cost of diesel has risen, Chinchay complains their profit margin has shrunk. “The fish fetch us the same price as they did 10 years ago,” he said. Like him, owners of 400 boats in Versova are waiting for the reimbursement of subsidy. The last meeting with Fisheries department over this issue was held in July along with sitting BJP’s MLA Dr Bharati Lavekar. But no payment came. There are some 15,000 fishermen in Versova constituency, which lines the western shore of Mumbai. It is the largest fishing community in the city. In the 2014 assembly elections, fisherfolk had demanded a jetty in Versova along with a permanent diesel pump, ice storage unit, and export unit. While Lavekar has facilitated the construction of a cemented pathway to the harbour, fishermen continue to await a jetty. “Things have improved with the road to the harbour. We can bring in trucks now. But with a jetty, our working condition will improve. Right now we have to source diesel regularly from outside. A jetty will ensure there is permanent diesel pump,” says Nandkumar Bhave, who owns three boats. According to Damodar Tandel, president of Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti, the sanctioned proposal for Versova jetty is estimated to cost Rs 55 crore. “But there is no budget provision for this. The budget only allots funds for salaries, not development or maintenance of jetties,” Tandel said. Jayraj Chandi, who owns two boats and has 20 men working under him, says state government’s focus is more on Koli community in south Mumbai than in the suburbs. Chandi awaits Rs 3.5 lakh pending subsidy for the last 24 months. His boat remains out at sea for a fortnight in this season, and rising loans have put pressure on his business. “We don’t get loans like farmers. When our season begins, we have to run around to borrow money to stock diesel and ice,” he said. Apart from demand for timely subsidy and a jetty, the Koli community has been demanding desilting work. Deposition of sediments on Versova shore has made it impossible to row boats into the sea or back during low tides. While desilting work began after the BJP took over in 2014 (Congress MLA Baldev Khosa lost to Lavekar), it was left incomplete. “The sewage line also opens here in sea. The water body is so dirty in this area, we have to travel deeper for our catch. These are daily issues that we expect MLAs and MPs to attend,” says Rajendra Ingle, who has been in this trade for the last 30 years. Shiv Sena’s Rajul Patel, who is contesting independently this time, said she is aware of these issues and plans to take them up during her campaigning. Versova has a voter population of 2.77 lakh and the maximum comprises Muslims voters (1.01 lakh). While Lavekar was not available for comment, BJP’s Mumbai unit secretary Divya Dhole said, “Yes, these are issues existing since some time. The MLA knows about them. She has to take it up.” Interestingly, Dhole had also filed her candidature from Versova as an independent, but had to later withdraw it. BJP workers claimed that even in the party there remain issues with Lavekar. “We are hoping to resolve them,” Dhole said. In Numbers -Total voters: 2.77 lakh -Marathi: 56,200 -North Indians: 61,500 -Muslims: 1.01 lakh -Gujarati/Rajasthani: 25,400 -Others: 27,000
