The last few weeks of lockdown has been particularly hard for about three crore people dependent on fisheries. Their representatives say that without urgent intervention by the Centre, it will be difficult for them to survive as trawling ban will be implemented on the east coast from Wednesday. They have demanded ₹5,000 per person for fishermen and workers in seafood and fishmeal processing units.
Silent on fisheries
The All India Fishers and Fisheries Workers Federation General Secretary K Hemalata said most of the fishing and related activities are in Maharashtra and Gujarat workers involved there are unorganised. “They don’t have any unions. A lot of migrants are also working in this area. Fish and seafood processing units are also not functioning. They do not have jobs now. Contract workers are not being paid. The Centre has suggested some proposals of easing the lockdown, but it is silent on fisheries and processing units,” she said.
A representative of fishermen in Eranakulam district, Kerala, MB Bharthruhari said the district has 40,000 fish workers and as many workers in allied industries. “Munambam, Vypin and Cochin fishing harbours are shut now. For the last two months, they have been suffering because of the scarcity of fish and secondly due to the lockdown.
This story is from the April 14, 2020 edition of The Hindu Business Line.
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This story is from the April 14, 2020 edition of The Hindu Business Line.
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