Forces deployed at NAOB site after village fishermen stop dredging work

Visakhapatnam: Security forces were deployed in and around Bangarampalem village in S Rayavaram mandal to prevent fishermen to break into the Naval Alternative Operations Base ( NAOB ) site. Village fishermen have been protesting at the site, seeking justice. On Monday, they surrounded the dredging vessel with boats.

Inhabitants of the village say they have been displaced due to construction of the NAOB and even after 13 years of the beginning of the construction, they have not been rehabilitated. Also, not even 70% of the construction has been completed, one of the fisherman alleged. “Naval authorities have taken over the Varaha and Sarada rivers and not allowing us to go for fishing,” M Satti Raju, leader of the villagers, complained.

Fishermen demanded Rs 20,000 be paid to each family till the construction of the jetty each displaced family be given Rs 5 lakh. Every family, they say, should also get land plots which should be as big as they have been displaced from. Dredging works should also be stopped till the promises are fulfilled, the fishermen say.

“Based on the complaint by technicians and crew members and following the ministry of home affair’s orders, district police have deployed forces at the NAOB site,”said ASP Narsipatnam Rishanth Reddy.

Joint collector of Visakhapatnam district Lotethi Siva Sankar visited the troubled Bangarampalem on Tuesday and interacted with the protesting fishermen. He assured them that soon their demands will be heard to and their problems solved.