Kerala Fisheries Department takes a U-turn after sacking 662 contract employees via WhatsApp message

Kollam: In an unforeseen move, 662 contract employees from the Fisheries Department were informed of their dismissals through a WhatsApp message. This group included around 100 project coordinators for ‘Janakeeya Matsyakrishi’ (public aquaculture initiative) and 565 aquaculture promoters. The dismissals came just days before their contracts were set to expire, and no formal notice was issued.

Employees received messages from deputy directors (district officers) while they were in the field on duty. The message sent to employees' WhatsApp groups stated that, owing to the lack of approval for the public fish farming project due to the ongoing economic crisis, the department recommended that temporary workers be released starting September 25.

The dismissals occurred at a time when salaries for project coordinators and aquaculture promoters had gone unpaid for five months and four months, respectively.

The dismissal message evoked stiff opposition from various employee unions, including those affiliated with the ruling front. Later, the affected employees received another message stating that the previous directive had been put on hold temporarily.

Typically, employees would undergo interviews before their contracts ended and would be reappointed, but this time there was no such process. Some of these workers have been employed in this way for ten to twelve years.

Stalled pay for employees

Project coordinators earn Rs 30,000 per month, while aquaculture promoters receive Rs 675 per day. Previously, promoters could work up to 25 days a month, but this was reduced to 21 days starting April 2023. When temporary employees reached out to higher officials about their unpaid salaries, they were told, “Those who want to leave can go.”

According to the contract employees, when they approached the minister about this issue before Onam, they were assured they would not be dismissed. Just before the holiday, both groups received three months’ salary each; however, the payment did not specify which months the salaries covered.