Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday refuted opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala’s allegations that the state government is on the verge of allowing a US-based company to engage in deep-sea fishing off the Kerala coast.
Accusing the opposition for trying to mislead fisherfolk for political gains, Vijayan said his government’s policy was against deep-sea fishing by both international and national corporate entities. The state government has been at the forefront of demanding that the Centre revoke permits given to foreign trawlers for deep-sea fishing. If the opposition plans to instigate fisherfolk against the government, such attempts would be in vain, he said.
(MENAFN - IANS) p>Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 (IANS) Trouble seems to be mounting for the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government after the Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday came out with a picture of a meeting between the state s Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty and a US-based firm on a proposed project of handing over the deep-sea fishing in the state to the latter.
However, Mercykutty denied the allegation of any such meeting and said that Chennithala has lost his bearings as he came out with this project on Friday. On Friday, both Mercykutty and the state s Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan replied that they are not aware of any such company. Now I have released this picture of Mercykutty having discussions will be releasing two more documents which say that a four acre plot of land was handed over to this US firm. If needed I will release the meeting pictures among Mercykutty and those US officials, the the Opposition leader said.