The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Tirunelveli fishermen await assistance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 24, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tirunelveli fishermen await assistance

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUNELVELI, JAN. 23. Like Tirunelveli's once vivacious fishing industry, which came to a halt after the December 26 tsunami strike destroyed boats and other fishing equipment, building of and repairs to fibreglass boats have been thrown out of gear, as fishermen are yet to receive sufficient financial assistance from the Government.

Since most of the 2,000-odd fibreglass boats in the coastal hamlets from Kanyakumari to Alanthalai in Tuticorin district have been damaged by the violent waves, the fishermen have to either repair their craft or go for a new one, which costs about Rs. 80,000 without engine. But owing to the delay in getting financial assistance, they are waiting to get back to their business.

Fibreglass boats, which were tossed up in the air on the fateful day, suffered extensive damage. Most of the boats, which were thrown in front of the Church of Koottapuli, a coastal village about 70 km from here, remain in the same place even now and no one shows interest in returning to fishing.

"I have lost everything - the boat, net and the engine. How can I restart my life without getting sufficient assistance from the Government," asks Alkasthira, a fisherman of Koottapuli.

Only a few fishermen, who managed to get loans from their relatives, have sent their craft to boat yards for repair.

"We once handled 40 boats a month when fishing activity was at its peak here and nearly 20 persons were employed to clear the boats at the right time. But now we have employed only six persons, as there is no fresh order for construction of boats or repairing the damaged ones. Only a few boats have come for repair. This is mainly due to the delay in the disbursal of loan to the fishermen," says 63-year-old R. Rathinasamy of Kaavalkinaru, who is running a five-year old fibreglass manufacturing and repairing unit on the Kanyakumari highway.

Though the Congress and two private companies, including a two-wheeler manufacturing company, evinced interest in getting the boats repaired, nothing has happened so far, say the fishermen.

Lean period

"Since the period between March to May is not so favourable for fishing, orders from the fishermen for the construction of new boats will be thin. But we do hope that we could transact good business in this lean period this year if the Government releases the funds at the earliest," said Mr. Rathinasamy.

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