Saturday, January 16, 2010

Fishy is Good

Today is a Sunday. Sunday mornings are meant for brunch and totally relaxed but today I am excited because my clients called from Mumbai, promising me a very thoughtful yet strange gift. They are bringing fresh fish from Mumbai. And you know what, it's fresh, priceless fish!

They are from the fishing community in Maharashtra, a very traditional and patriotic community. The State government announced a policy to provide subsidized diesel to these fishermen to use in their fishing trawlers, mechanized fishing boats and so on. Each boat requires about 1,500 liters of diesel and they are out in the sea for about a fortnight or sometimes more. Two punps and connecting tanks were given to this community out of the retail outlet initially granted to a big, well known entity called X.

Since these fishermen found it convenient to let the retail outlet person continue the dispensing activities (which requires a little expertise). So, they entered into an agreement appointing the same person as their agent in return for a monthly sum. Now, there is an alleged dispute about the payment of monthly service charge. The retail outlet guy terminated the agreement with the fishing folks.

On behalf of the fishing community, we filed a suit for injunction before the city civil court in Mumbai. It was fully granted (with respect to 2 pumps and 2 connecting tanks). Then, the other side went to the High Court in appeal against the said interim injunction. The High Court modified the original injunction order and confined it to just one pump. Aggrieved by this, the retail outlet has filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court.

I am not just their lawyer but I am their friend. They tell me their worries and I worry with them because they are good people. They don't speak English with an accent, they don't wear suits or go to cocktails but they deserve justice because they are good, honest people who take great pride in their country and community.

And today, that will be my thought while I go to meet them and collect the gift they have brought for me, all the way from Mumbai.

12 comments:

Mridula said...

You deserve that gift and thanks for sharing this.

Goli said...

Great work... very well appreciated...

Vinita Apte said...

oooo yummmm fresh fish....

That was so good of you to help them. Very few lawyers would have done it....Hats off to you.

Now, go enjoy the fish...you deserve it.

R. Ramesh said...

how sweet of u boss...good deeds yield positive results..am sure u ll go places with your good karma..happy to be your friend..enjoy the fish treat..and keep some veg fish for me..hehe..cheers..

Tarun Mitra said...

You deserve that...it is the second lawyer I have found who is blogging...cheers and enjoy the fish..

R. Ramesh said...

thanks boss:)

Linda said...

Hi Sanand, thanks for your comments on my blog. I was interested to read about the fishing. My mother's family were fishers, working off the stormy, cold North coast of Scotland. Very different from your fishermen's seas. But fishermen the world over share the same problems.

Sanand said...

Thanks to all of you!

R. Ramesh said...

yeppp,..thanks again buddy.:)

SG said...

That is what friends are for. They trust you enough to tell their worries. And, you worry with them.

Sanand said...

Yes, that's true, SG, and I guess that is why friendship is such an invaluable, priceless bond.

Vinita Apte said...

hey I have tagged you. Please oblige :)