The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Relief inadequate, say fisherfolk, Dalits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 04, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Relief inadequate, say fisherfolk, Dalits

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, MARCH 3. Sixty-five days after the tsunami destroyed the livelihood of residents along the coastal areas, the fishing and Dalit communities continue to feel neglected in parts of Kancheepuram, Tirukazhukunram and Villupuram districts. Affected fishermen and Dalits say they have not received enough relief and are unable to return to work.

The season for prawns is between January and March. Most fishermen make their entire year's profits during these months. With the boats and nets lost to the sea, the fishermen have been depending on doles from non-government organisations and the Government. Dalits and fisherfolk own some land, which have been rendered useless because of sand deposits and salinity. The disparity in relief measures has created rifts between the Dalits and fisherfolk.

Fishermen of Oyyalikuppam in Sadras, Kalpakkam, say of the 282 people in their village only 85 people have received cheques for Rs. 10, 000 each. There are similar complaints from panchayat leaders of several fishing hamlets. The fishermen have pooled in all the relief money and distributed it among the affected families. "Each family gets only Rs. 2,500 and it is hardly enough to see us through a whole year," says Murthy, a fisherman.

The fishermen met the media today under the Coastal Communities Joint Action Forum, an alliance of three coastal networks — South India Traditional Fishers Federation, Coastal Poor Development Action Network and Dalit Mannurimai Iyakkam.

Desikan, an Adi Dravida resident of Raja Nagar in Oyyalikuppam, says their village is 150 metres from the sea. Though the water washed away their livestock, the Government has overlooked their colony's need for replacement of lost animals. About 90 families live in this hamlet.

Anomalous lists

In Mudaliar Kuppam of Villupuram, Meyur Kuppam in Tirukazhukunram and in eight colonies in Madurantakam, villagers are unhappy that the relief package has not been equally distributed among the affected people. "We drew up a list of the affected but the Fisheries Department has its own list from three years ago. Those who live in the villages and are members of the fishermen association in our village are left out," says Damodaran, a fisherman from Villupuram.

The Revenue Department draws up a separate list that is completely different from that of the Fisheries Department, fishermen say.

In places where the Government has built low-cost houses, there is no power supply or provision for drinking water. Fishermen say when the authorities were asked about it, they point fingers at other departments. The people fear that middlemen and contractors are cheating them.

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