Protests by fishermen against drilling by the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) in the Krishna-Godavari basin, off the coast of Kakinada, has put the Gujarat-based company in a spot. About 10,000 fishermen in 500-odd boats have been coming daily since Monday to the GSPC rig and demanding that they stop drilling as it was driving away fish and affecting their livelihood. The Coast Guard is preventing the fishermen from laying siege to the rig and maintaining a fragile peace. On November 14, the fishermen will again attempt to surround the rig. The fishermen who belong to 63 fishing villages on the East Godavari district coast and Yanam in Puducherry UT, are protesting against the offshore oil rigs claiming that it was prime fishing grounds and fish catch has drastically come down due to the drilling activities and restrictions on fishing in the area. They also claim that drilling activities and pollution are driving away fish on which they depend for their livelihood throughout the year. While Reliance and ONGC also have their rigs off the Kakinada coast, the fishermen’s target this time is the GSPC rig. The Deen Dayal field in the Krishna-Godavari basin with significant gas reserves is GSPC’s primary asset. “There are too many fishermen and the hunting ground has shrunk due to the three rigs and the restrictions that are put on fishing in the vicinity of the rigs. Several varieties of fish, which fishermen catch to earn their livelihood, prefer the warm coastal waters of Kakinada and restrictions here means fishing boats cannot move about freely,” said leader of fishing association Malladi Krishna Rao. The protests have gained political colours with Malladi Krishna Rao, a Congress MLA from Yanam, Mimmidivaram (East Godavari) Congress MLA P Venkat Satish Kumar and TDP leaders from East Godavari district leading the fishermen. Former TDP MLA Vanamadi Venkeshwara Rao is leading protests outside the GSPC’s Kakinada office. The leaders are demanding that fishermen be paid compensation for loss of livelihood. Vice-president of Kakinada operations of GSPC V V Singh said they have not imposed any restrictions on fishing in the area where their rig is located. “There is strong current in the area and not many boats come for fishing there except for mechanised boats. Our rig is also very far from the coast. The allegation that drilling activity is driving away fish is not correct because fishing activity takes place in a vast area,” Singh said on Thursday.