THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The constant human intervention as a part of various developmental activities have led to coastal degradation affecting the fisherfolk adversely. The consequent rehabilitation of the fishers, however, has only displaced them from the coastal belt, which hampers their livelihood. Such a rehabilitation strategy must change and it is high time it was carried out by taking into account the priorities of the community, said a study by Coastal Watch, an NGO that focuses on the coastal belt of Thiruvananthapuram.
In its report, ‘Displaced coastal communities: Problems and solutions’, the organisation has said that the families that are being rehabilitated should be considered as an ‘ecosystem community’ and they should be given suitable financial compensation proportional to the loss they are facing. The rehabilitation of the fisher community should only be carried out in such a way that their livelihood isn’t affected, the report reiterates.
Coastal degradation
The report submitted to Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian points out how using hard structures for coastal protection are, in turn, detrimental to the coastal belt and lead to further ecological damage. The construction of sea walls, groynes and tetrapods are to be avoided at any cost as these lead to various issues such as end erosion, which is the erosion of sand from beaches at either end of the seawall. The government needs to resort to soft structures such as geotubes, the study says. The coastal protection measures and strategies should be formulated after understanding the unique beach system in an area. The NGO has asked the government to re-evaluate its project, ‘Punargeham’, to rehabilitate fishers living within 50 metres from the tidal area.
Compensation not enough
“As per the state government’s rehabilitation programme for fisherfolk, `10 lakh is being given to those living in coastal regions facing threat. This is inadequate,” says Dr Tito D’Cruz, a fisheries expert who prepared the study report. The study has observed that most of the fishers who live in the coastal regions facing threat often do not come forward as they fear getting displaced to makeshift shelters when they are living in houses that are worth Rs 20 to Rs 50 lakh. Suitable compensation needs to be provided to those getting displaced and it is the right of the community to live in dignity.
“The amount of `5,300 crore allocated in the budget for coastal protection through hard structures should be used for the rehabilitation of the fishers. When the fishers are rehabilitated, they need to be relocated near the coastal belt itself so that their livelihood isn’t affected,” he adds. The fishers should get to live with dignity. “Wherever there have been human interventions like harbours, there has been coastal erosion. Whenever the fishers are rehabilitated, their needs aren’t considered and are forced to move into flats.
They should be relocated in a dignified manner where their livelihood isn’t affected and not in shacks or slum-like areas. Any rehabilitation measure should ensure complete collaboration from the community,” says Kerala Paristhithi Aikya Vedi convener Sridhar Radhakrishnan. He also reiterates the need to stop using hard structures. “A panel report led by marine scientist Dr Bijukumar and the community-based report by Dr Tito reiterate beach itself is the best coastal protection measure or rather sand. So we need to replenish the area with sand and this requires natural remedies and engineering. The thrust should be on bringing back our beaches,” he adds.
Study carried out by Coastal Watch asks govt to rehabilitate affected community near shores, rather than in faraway slum-like areas or flats, so that they are not denied livelihood
They must be given adequate compensation. Using hard structures to protect beaches/ shores will only aggravate erosion
Efforts must focus on replenishing sand on eroded beaches