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Kerala: Hunger has fishers take up oars again

A section of men from coastal hamlets in capital start to go for fishing.

Thiruvananthapuram: “There is a cyclone in the mind but it’s not as strong as the cyclone in our belly,” said Patrick Yonnas when asked why he ventured into the sea even as the coast was mourning the human losses suffered during cyclone Ockhi. A section of men from coastal hamlets across the capital have started to go for fishing from Monday. Catches like Navara, Kannakozhiyala, Ayala and Chaala has gradually come to the market as the city looks ahead to a high demand during Christmas.

Several boats from Anchuthengu and Maryanad and a few from Vizhinjam and Poovar had gone fishing. “There was not much of fishing vessel movement on Monday and Tuesday. However, men who had commitments went and returned with the catch occasionally,” said Mr Yonnas. Meanwhile, most of the fishermen have not recovered from the horrors of the cyclone and did not venture into the sea.

Some others who wanted to go did not because the small vessels they regularly worked in were missing, some along with their owners. “There is a general inertia among our men to go to sea and we also do not wish to send them. The Government has to provide alternative employment schemes to those who fail to get over the fear,” said Jessy Xavier of Poonthura. Sources said that a handful of fishermen and molasses gatherers had escaped the cyclone as they did not go to work due to Milad-e-sherif.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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