THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Community spread of Covid- 19 and the subsequent triple lockdown in the coastal areas, including Pulluvila and Poonthura, have dealt a heavy blow on the lives of the residents who depend on fishing for their livelihood. Total ban on seafaring has left the fishermen families in the two regions penniless as they completely rely on selling their daily catch and allied jobs to make both ends meet. A majority of the families do not have any savings and the lockdown has pushed them to abject poverty.
Though the state government announced free ration of 5 kilograms of rice, many hamlets in the containment regions are yet to receive the kits. As the state government had already made it clear that community spread is taking place at Pulluvila and Poonthura, residents fear to come out of their homes. The church authorities of the two coastal regions are in talks with Latin Catholic archdiocese bishop for the state government’s immediate intervention to provide temporary relief for the fishermen community.
According to the church, the people are on the verge of starvation. In certain hamlets, even the free rice has not been supplied to the residents. Last month’s trawling ban, followed by the Covid-19 attack and the ensuing lockdown have hit the fishing families hard. Since they are not in the habit of keeping savings, majority of residents have slipped into starvation. “The fishermen’s livelihood is completely dependent on the sea. Since fishing has been prohibited, their income has stopped. The free grain offered will not be sufficient as uncertainty persists over lifting the lockdown,” said Fr Baby Bevinson, vicar, Pulluvila St Jacob’s Forane church. The situation in Poonthura is not different either. “The free ration will not help the coastal folks if the lockdown is set to stay,” said Fr Edison Yohannan, vicar of Poonthura St Thomas church.
‘Savings-Cum-Relief scheme’
R Sandhya, additional director of the fisheries department, told TNIE the government has initiated steps to implement the ‘Savings-Cum-Relief scheme’ by providing monthly installment of `1,500 to each family affected by the virus spread. “The first installment has already been released and we are in process to release the second instalment. The grocery kit distribution at Poonthura and Pulluvila is also under consideration,” she said.