The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : They are still like fish out of water

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

They are still like fish out of water

By V. Jayanth

CHENNAI, FEB. 15 . It has been over 50 days since the tsunami struck the coast and devastated the lives of lakhs of people.

A majority of the 1.5 lakh fishing families left without livelihood are yet to put out to sea. But a small percentage, who suffered minimum damage to boats or catamarans, is back in business — but with a low profile.

This situation is the result of a spat between the Central and State Governments over the "livelihood package".

The loan-cum-subsidy scheme unveiled by the Centre has caused resentment among a section of the fishermen, especially those who have not lost their vessels.

The problem has been compounded by the Pondicherry Government offering the livelihood package as full subsidy. Karaikal in the Union Territory is closer to Nagapattinam than it is to Pondicherry.

The comparison hurts the fisherfolk in Nagapattinam district in particular.

Senior officers of nationalised banks, who do not want to be named, say their branches have made a complete assessment and applications are coming in, though slowly. They say the situation in Nagpattinam district is the worst, followed by Cuddalore and Kanyakumari.

"The response is not the same from these districts as also the other 10 declared tsunami-affected by the State Government," according to the general manager of a bank here.

It is those who have lost their boats completely or those who want to upgrade and switch to mechanised or fibreglass boats that are approaching the banks, says the manager.

"They have the requisite certificates and the district administration is providing them the back-up. They have to make up their minds and submit their applications. We can process them in two or three days."

That some of the fishermen are already out in the sea seems to be agitating those who have no boats. In each of the coastal hamlets, one or the other of the non-governmental organisations has come to the rescue of some fishermen.

The NGOs have been donating mechanised boats and in some cases even fibreglass vessels to those who have lost everything in the December 26, 2004 tsunami. In some villages they have provided for joint ownership of boats.

Restoration in phases

The fishermen can return to their livelihood only in phases. This is clear from talking to senior officers in the districts and those involved in rehabilitation. In most places, those who had had their catamarans damaged are already back at fishing. Those with mechanised boats are gradually coming back. The next stage will see those with limited repairs to their boats venture into the sea. Simultaneously, fishermen who are getting free replacements from the NGOs are setting out.

Only those whose boats are badly damaged and are unable to opt for the loan-cum-subsidy scheme are left out.

Insurance burden

Aside from their hesitation to take a bank loan, the fishermen feel that the "insurance burden" will be too much on them.

A spokesman for the fishermen's federation here says there will be no fishing for at least four months a year. "How can a fisherman pay back the loan and also the insurance premium, which alone may come to Rs. 1,000 or even more a month, depending on the value of the vessel? As of now, 90 per cent of the fishing vessels are not insured."

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