Due to untold hardships, fishermen migrate to Gujarat, Karnataka

Srikakulam: Unlike any other occupation, fishing is a tough task as the safety and lives of fishermen always will be in danger. Due to lack of facilities in the district for fishing and due to meager earnings, fishermen belonging to nearly 40 villages near the sea coast in Srikakulam district are migrating to Veraval district in Gujarat every year.

Fishermen in sea coast villages like Vajrapukotturu, Santhabommali, Gara, Srikakulam (Rural), Etcherla and Ranastalam mandals of Srikakulam district are migrating to Veraval every year in the month of August and returning after eight months in April.

Many from some other villages migrate to Mangaluru in Karnataka. The fishermen who migrate are employed as workers with fish traders there and working in three categories as kalasi, cooker, thandelu (driver of the boat). For a kalasi, a monthly salary is Rs 7,000, for a cooker Rs 6,000 and for thandelu, Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 are paid.

Fish traders from Gujarat pay Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh as advance to fishermen thereby exploiting their poor financial status and necessities. Later, fishermen are forced to hunt fish by mechanised boats till they clear their debts.

Fishermen are unable to take even a bath for a period of 25 days till they reached the shore and quality food is also not available during fishing days.  Recently, 20 fishermen from Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts were detained by the Pakistan coast guards.

“Mini jetties were proposed at Budagatlapalem, Bhavanapadu, Rallapeta but the government has not  taken any step. Fishermen are not provided loans to purchase boats and as a result, they are migrating to other areas,” Sea Coast Fishermen Union district president, Moogi Rama Rao and general secretary, Moogi Gurumurthy, said.

“Governments are neglecting the welfare of fishermen from the beginning, Fishermen unions’ convener Chintapalli Suryanarayana said. “We are extremely worried and spending sleepless nights as our kin were detained by Pakistan forces and were are requesting all leaders and officials for help,” G Nuka Ratnam and K Sirisha, wives of detained fishermen at Pakistan, G Rama Rao and K Yerrayya lamented.

“Providing Mini jetties were proposed at Budagatlapalem, Bhavanapadu, Rallapeta and we are waiting for the government’s green signal to provide assistance to purchase nets,” Joint Director of Fisheries, VV Krishna Murthy said.