Floods leave fishing community at sea
Fishermen, according to Ravi, have to take loans for diesel and ice supply in order to supply their catch.

Chennai: Lack of fishing from end-November to mid-December period has caused a loss of over Rs 5 crore per day, the spokesperson for the All India Fishermen Association. P. Ravi, said.
A large number of fishermen was involved in rescue operations but neither have their losses been compensated nor have their efforts been acknowledged, he said. “Almost after November 26 till the time floodwaters on Chennai streets receded, fishermen were out of their fishing activity. After floods hit the city, about 350 boats were sent for rescue work.
Of these, many boats were damaged with around 7 being extensively damaged,” said P. Ravi.
Fishermen who lent their boats for rescue work have started receiving Rs 5,000, but those with damaged boats are still awaiting help from the government for repair. Christmas this year is likely to be bleak as many fisher families have been hit hard because of the absence of fishing activities for past several days.
V. Meena, wife of a fisherman, says her family has been deprived of earnings as her husband and other fishermen were asked not to go out into the sea fishing. “There was knee-deep water in our premises but we got no help from anyone. We had to live without any income for almost a month. That was a difficult period,” she said. She sells fish caught by her husband. Her family resides at the Tsunami quarters at Ennore.
Zarina’s husband Karraputhangam is the sole bread earner for his family consisting of daughters and grand children. “We got rice sacks from an NGO which came here but compared to the extensive help in the other areas, relief for us wasn’t given,” she said. Some of the women have taken to weaving decorative items to make a living. “When we weave 150 of these for a day, we get paid '50. How much are we going to make like this?” questioned K. Karraputhangam.
Fishermen, according to Ravi, have to take loans for diesel and ice supply in order to supply their catch. The days there are no fish, they still would have uses the diesel to venture into the sea and come back empty. It is like a domino effect, losses affect the entire fishing industry. “Not only were boats damaged, about four have gone missing,” he said adding that the entire fishermen community is going through a difficult phase.
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