Visakhapatnam: In an unfortunate turn of events just ahead of World Fisheries Day, a devastating fire erupted in the Visakhapatnam harbour on Sunday, inflicting significant losses upon the local fishermen community. The incident has forced the cancellation of planned celebrations in the district on November 21 (Tuesday), leaving fishermen and fisheries officials grappling with the aftermath.
As part of the preparations for World Fisheries Day, fishermen had organized a grand celebration at RK Beach, complete with a stage set up opposite a star hotel. The event aimed to provide a platform for fishermen to address their concerns and foster community spirit. However, the unexpected fire on Sunday disrupted these plans, leading to the cancellation of the celebration in Visakhapatnam district.
Vasupalli Janakiram, representing the AP Mechanised Boat Owners’ Welfare Association in Visakhapatnam, expressed disappointment, stating, “We wanted to raise our issues and have a get-together in the celebration at the beach on Tuesday. But
unfortunately, this incident happened. So, we canceled the celebration for Visakhapatnam district.”
In response to the crisis, Dr. Mugi Srinivas, the general secretary of the State Fisheries Development unit of Jana Sena Party, announced plans to address the issue of providing compensation to the affected families on November 21, World Fisheries Day. The fishing community now faces the dual challenge of dealing with the aftermath of the fire and advocating for their rights and compensation during what was meant to be a day of celebration and solidarity.