Odisha fishworker couple invited to attend I-Day celebrations in Delhi

Berhampur: Kanda Alaya, a traditional fisherman of Sana Arjipalli in Odisha’s Ganjam, who is fighting for the survival of over 3000 traditional fishermen, has been invited to New Delhi along with his wife K Saraswati by the Union Government to join the Independence Day celebrations on August 15.

“We are extremely happy that the government has invited us to participate in the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort in New Delhi”, said Alaya while boarding a train at Chatrapur Railway station for New Delhi.

The couple would stay at Odisha Bhavan in New Delhi. He lauded this invitation as a recognition of their generational occupation and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Alaya, who is the General Secretary of Odisha Traditional Fish Workers Union and Vice President of National Fish Workers Forum, is also the President of Gopalpur Port Workers Union. He devoted most of his time and vigour by sensitising the fishermen folk for the successful implementation of ‘Pradhan Mantri Mastchya Sampriti Yojana’ and ‘Blue Revolution’. He was also instrumental in putting pressure on the government to enact the ‘Odisha Marine Regulation Act’ for the benefit of the fishermen.

K Saraswati led the fisherwomen folk to prepare dry fish under ICZM project during 2014-16 and earn additional income through tailoring.

The couple was promoting ‘Samudram’ and played an integral role in sustaining coastal heritage and economy for decades.

Altogether six persons from Odisha have been invited to participate in the celebrations in Delhi, sources said. Apart from Kanda Alaya and K Saraswati, three beneficiaries of Amrit Sarovar Mission – Jagyanseni Patel of Balangir, Savitri Das of Ganjam and Akhaya Kumar Jayfula of Koraput and ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’ scheme beneficiary Yuvaraj Chhatria of Komna area in Nuapada have been invited.

The Centre has invited around 1,800 special guests from across the country to participate in the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort.