Rajahmundry: Authorities aim to help fisherfolks

Rajahmundry: Many fish traders have been xploiting many of the fishermen and women grabbing a portion of their hard-earned income when they buy their catch at a throwaway prices. Legal metrology authorities intend to come to the rescue of these fisher folks by introducing a weighing system for the fish before it is sold to the traders so that they claim and receive proper rate for their catch. The legal metrology authorities noticed how the catch of fish, prawns, crabs and other varieties was purchased by fish traders at the fish landing centres. To curb that practise and to ensure that the fisher folks get proper price for their catch, the authorities are trying to rope in department of fisheries, revenue and two NGOs identified as Reliance Foundation and Godavari Maha Samaikhya comprising fisherwomen, to work a mechanism to weigh the produce properly and get fair returns. Legal metrology controller E. Damodar said, "As we are trying to curb exploitation of tribals and farmers with regard to sale of forest produce and fertilisers and other things by middlemen or traders by way of short-weighing, we intend to come to the rescue of fishermen and women by asking them to use electronic weights so that they get proper price for their produce without being exploited by traders.