THOOTHUKUDI: After their fishing nets were washed away into the sea following the unprecedented rains in December 2023, fishermen of Kovalam Meenavar Colony are yet to return to the sea. The fishing hamlet in Mullakadu panchayat was cut off from the mainland after the only road was washed away a month ago. Livelihoods affected, nearly 40 families of the hamlet are left in the lurch, with the civic body citing a lack of funds to restore road connectivity.
With a population of 180, the hamlet consists of people belonging to the Valayar community, a sub-sect of the Mutharaiyar caste. While fishing is the primary source of income for men, women in the hamlet are dependent on seaweed farming to run their families.
Speaking to TNIE, Muniasamy, the 75-year-old chief said the hamlet was submerged after the rains in December. “It was the highest rain I have witnessed in my lifetime,” he said.
Even though the floodwaters receded after some days, life was far from normal for the people here as they suffered due to irreparable damages. While the villagers lost many household goods, it was the loss of the fishing nets — nearly 5,000 kilos of fishing nets — that was the ultimate blow.
“Fishing nets left on the shore were washed away into the sea, never to be seen again,” Muniasamy said.
The fishermen are heavily dependent on these nets. There are about 15 fibre boats and a larger boat in the hamlet. About five fishermen venture into the sea on each boat with their respective nets. After returning from the sea, the fishermen give about 20% of their catch to the boat owners as payment.
“Each net is valued between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000. Everyone lost the nets that were left to dry on the shore. As a result, fishing activity is yet to resume in the hamlet. The fishers have lost every penny during the flood,” Muniasamy said.
Another fisherman said that chit fund agents, who give out hand loans, have stayed away from the village as the fishermen need several lakhs to buy fishing gear.
Women’s businesses hit
Women of the hamlet, who make a living by growing red algae seaweed, were also severely affected as nearly 50 seaweed plots, each with 100 ropes, located in the shallow waters were washed away without leaving a trace.
“We lost all the gear used to cultivate seaweed, including coirs, twines and seaweed. Officials of the private firms to whom we supplied seaweed have not visited us yet,” said Shanmugathai.
The floodwaters overflowed from the Korampallam tank on December 17 and 18 and drained into the sea, breaching the road that connected the hamlet to the mainland. The connecting road, along with a Shiva temple, was carried away for nearly 100 metres. After the floods, water pipelines were also washed away.
Mullakadu panchayat president told TNIE, “I managed to purchase fly ash and cover half of the portion of the damaged road, even though no funds were allocated from the government. Meanwhile, portions of the fly ash road get washed away during high tides, hampering the works.”
Valli, a resident of the hamlet, lamented that they do not have hygienic drinking water. As a result, villagers have dug pits to get groundwater. “At least 20 pits have been dug up in the hamlet for families to access groundwater. Though the water quality was good initially, it has turned saline now.”
This has not only affected our livelihoods but our children’s education as well. There are 15 school-going children in the hamlet. They have not returned to schools after the floods in December last year as they could not reach the mainland. We are surviving with welfare aid and materials provided. However, it remains a question as to how long we can sustain with help from donors,” Valli rued.
Faulting the fisheries department officials for failing to visit the hamlet even after a month, Muniasamy said, “They have not enquired as to why we have not gone fishing yet.”
When questioned, the joint director of the fisheries department said, “I have studied the survey carried out by my subordinates and submitted it to the government. I can assure something only if the government replies positively.”