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Fishermen struggle to make a living
Thousands of fishermen are struggling for existence as availability of fish has come down due to pollution and dumping of chemical discharge into sea for the past few years. Around 25,000 fishermen are living with their families in Bhogapuram, Pusapatirega mandals of Vizianagaram district.
Pusapatirega (Vizianagaram): Thousands of fishermen are struggling for existence as availability of fish has come down due to pollution and dumping of chemical discharge into sea for the past few years. Around 25,000 fishermen are living with their families in Bhogapuram, Pusapatirega mandals of Vizianagaram district.
China Kondrajupalem, Chidipalli Peta, Mukkam, Chepala Kancheru, Tippala Valasa, Barripeta, Chintapalli, Thammayyapalem and some other villages are on the bank of Bay of Bengal and the people here eking out their livelihood by fishing.
But now, they are not able to meet their family expenses as income coming from fishing has come down. The males generally go to fishing early in the morning by 4 am and come back go shore at 10 am. The women in the villages would carry baskets on their heads and sell the fish in nearby villages.
Vanjiram, chanduva, gulividali, savadalu and kavvallu are some of the popular fish available here. Vanjiram and prawns have a huge demand from hoteliers and caterers, but unfortunately their availability is less. The cost of vanjaram will be around Rs 300 per kg and prawns Rs 350 per kg. But the fishermen hardly earning around Rs 500 to Rs 600 per day due to coming down of availability of fish. Vizianagaram district has 1,366 engine boats and 600 country boats.
Unlike any other professions, the fishermen has two months of fishing holiday between April 15 and June 14 and the fishermen is obstructed from fishing in sea and they are forced to sit in their homes without doing work. Meanwhile, the government is supporting those families during the holiday by paying Rs 2,000 per month for each family.
Now, they are not in a position to send their children to schools as they can’t afford the fee at private schools and now they are encouraging them to go for fishing to assist their families.B Chinappanna of Fishermen Cooperative Society,
said: “We are struggling to survive as the income is coming down and family expenditure is raising. Our children are going to other districts in search of livilihood. Some of our relatives are working in fishing harbours as daily wage labourers. Its seems that it’s difficult to continue our profession but we know nothing than this.”
K Gangamma of Tippalavalasa, said: “Daily I bring some fish to Vizianagaram to sell in the streets. But I can’t earn more than Rs 250 to Rs 300 per day. How can I feed my children and meet the medical and other expenditure. My husband is planning to shift his profession. We have a small engine boat but the availability of quality fish like vanjaram and chanduva has come down and our income also is coming down.”
By Koppara Gandhi
