Sena (UBT) MP seeks relief for Sassoon Dock fishers

MP Arvind Sawant met Union minister for ports Sarbananda Sonowal and pressed for a resolution of eviction of fisher folk

- linah Baliga

As tensions escalate between the fishing community and the port authorities at Sassoon Dock, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant has stepped in to end the standoff. Advocating for the Kolis, traders and others involved in the fish trade at Mumbai's largest dock, Sawant met Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday, and pressed for a resolution to the crisis without the fisher folk being evicted.

Also present at the meeting was Sushilkumar Singh, chairperson of the Mumbai Port ‘Authority (MbPA), which is pushing to evict fisher folk from the 60 warehouses it owns at the dock. At the heart of the crisis is a move by the MbPA to charge rent at Ready Reckoner rates, which the community says is out of their reach. Backed by a police team, the MbPA arrived at the dock on Tuesday, to evict the fisher folk but had to retreat due to fierce resistance.

Union minister agrees to MP's request