The fisher folk community in coastal districts of Kerala who bore the brunt in the rain havoc and sea erosion are trying to survive since long in relief shelters without basic amenities. Now, they repose faith in the new Local Democratic Front (LDF) led state government and the Fisheries Minister J Mercikutty Amma who was sworn in today. Records indicate that the total fisher folk population in Kerala is estimated at more than 11 lakh including 8.55 lakh in the marine sector and 2.55 lakh in the inland sector. More than 1200 families mostly from the fisher folk community eke a livelihood through fisheries around the Kerala coast. Be it heavy rains or high sea waves surging along the coast from eight to ten feet in coastal districts, leading to severe sea erosion, thousands of fisher folk families are at the receiving end. In Valiathura area alone, about 116 families are in relief camps following rain havoc and sea erosion. In Veli and Poonthura area, about 316 families had faced the wrath and many are in relief camps. Reports indicate that around 200 families in Alappuzha have been shifted to relief camps after the rain havoc and coastal erosion. Many families in Kozhikode too had been inundated in the sea wave surge. “Though disaster relief grants worth crores of rupees are set aside, it hardly reaches the affected families. Instead a major chunk goes to the revenue department. Lop-sided development such as dredging activities as part of Vizhinjam sea port project has displaced many fisher folk families and rendered thousands homeless. Then government had assured a relief package of Rs 50 crore as part of Vizhinjam project, even that has not reached the people,” Kerala Independent Fish workers Forum (KIFWF) president T Peter said. While, the families caught up in temporary relief camps which are mostly in government schools find it hard to survive without basic amenities, security and proper ration. Some of the families are in school based relief camps for more than three years now and during school reopening they are left on the streets, said a resident at Valiathura. “About 30 families are staying at relief camps of lower primary school and 60 families at upper primary schools at Valiathura. About 30 families are at St Andrews church school. These camps have no proper toilets – all dilapidated without latches and unhygienic with mosquito menace. It is also highly insecure for children, mostly girls as the elderly men folk get addicted to spurious liquor and drugs,” said Jeremy Roy, a member of KIFWF. A resident at Valiathura, she is equally anxious of sea erosion that inundates her place. Though the previous government had assured to provide houses in six months, even after five years it was not ensured, said a resident at Valiathura. Responding to the woes of the fisher folk, Fisheries Minister J Mercikutty Amma told TOI that all efforts will be on to address the problems faced by the displaced families due to Sea erosion mostly the fisher folk in coastal areas of the state. “A high level emergency meeting of the officials concerned will be convened on Wednesday to take stock of the situation and to initiate steps to address the issues,” she said.
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