KOCHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s November 8, 2016 demonetisation announcement rocked many a boat. The ripples are still being felt, especially by the fishing community in Kerala. At Thoppumpady harbour, the place used to bustle with activity. But, after demonetisation, there is hardly anybody present at the harbour.
According to the agents and workers, the situation has only slightly improved. “But the cash problem still affects us,” said Navas, an agent at Thoppumpady. “The companies which procure fish from us are paying us in instalments, due to the shortage in cash. They take nearly four to five days to make the payment. Meanwhile, we have to make do with whatever cash we can get,” he said.
This has resulted in many agents borrowing money. Navas said, “The situation is such that whenever cash becomes available, the agents rush to settle their debts. This, in turn, makes it impossible for them to pay their workers.”
Navas too has not paid his workers wages for the past two months. “Demonetisation has badly affected us,” he adds.
Jabbar, a worker, agrees. “Our problems have not been solved. Since our wages are not coming in, our lives too have not returned to normal,” he said. The non-payment has forced many workers to do other jobs.
“It is like rubbing salt into an already festering wound,” said Charles George, president of the Kerala Fisher Workers Union. According to Charles, around 11,000 labourers work at the harbour everyday. “Everyone goes about their respective jobs, to keep the harbour going, like a well-oiled machine,” he said. “It takes a concerted effort to manage over 600 boats that arrive at the harbour laden with the day’s catch.”
But the authorities paint a different picture. An official of the Marine Products Export Development Authority, under condition of anonymity, said that awareness programmes and internet facilities have been provided to the members of the fishing community. “Also, the stress, caused by demonetisation, has gone down,” he said.
But Navas and Jabbar beg to differ. “We have neither heard of any awareness programmes nor participated in any of them,” said Navas.
According to them, the officials are the ones who are responsible for the entire mess and they have no one to turn to for help.
Troubled waters
Nearly 9,000 fishermen and their families are engaged in fishing activities in Ernakulam alone, while another 1,000 depend on the backwaters at Udayamperoor, Poothotta, Kochi and Paravur for livelihood
The fisher community is yet to recover from the cash crunch brought on by demonetisation. Companies which procure fish from the agents pay them in installments due to shortage in cash. They take nearly four to five days to make the payment
Non-payment of wages has become a big problem. The agents still find it difficult to get small change for high denimination notes like Rs 2,000
Workers at Thoppumpady harbour say the problems have not been solved. Since their wages are not coming in, their lives too have not returned to normal. Though the Centre wanted to introduce digital payments and e-banking through the demonetisation drive, it has not found any takers
The authorities concerned claim that they have been conducting awareness programmes to help the fisher community to tide over the post-demonetisation problems
Not aware enough
Ever since demonetisation, the government has supposedly taken many steps to promote the concept of digital banking and other associated services. But apparently these initiatives have not reached the fishing community.
Not skilled for other jobs
During the days of demonetisation many fishermen lost their jobs. Business came to a standstill due to lack of liquid cash. “Thereafter, many workers switched to other jobs even though they weren’t skilled enough,” said Babu, a trading agent at Thoppumpady harbour. Rasheed, a fisherman, said, “We had to settle for jobs that paid us a pittance. However, jobs weren’t forthcoming because of the cash crunch. The thought of our families going hungry forced our hands.”
Not tech savvy
Though the Centre wanted to introduce digital payments and e-banking through the demonetisation drive, it has not found any takers. Navas said, e-banking and e-payment methods like PayTM are out of their reach. Also, they not comfortable using them.
“The fishermen’s community don’t have the knowledge to use such technology,” he said. “Many of us still have no clue about e-banking and other online payment methods,” agrees Jabbar. Their inability to use the digital mode of payment has affected them adversely.
For Hamsa, a fish broker, e-banking is something very foreign. He said, “These methods may be easier for the new generation. But for us it has proved to be quite a task. It is not our cup of tea.” Hamsa said he still believes in the old method of banking.