The Providers of Food die, in Hunger

Harjinder Singh, INN/Chennai, @Infodeaofficial 

This epidemic situation of Corona Virus has been a nightmare to the government and those suffering from this disease. To avoid this epidemic being increased more and cause more threat on mankind, both the Central Government and the State Government announced lock-down.

Now that this lock-down is been imposed, it is been a trouble to many people who have not been infected also. Corona has disturbed the people affected by it and the Government, but the brunt of it has been a matter of people suffering even for those who have no connection with the disease. Everyday people running daily or running a rickshaw are facing the Brunt of this Corona Epidemic.

Tamil Nadu is situated along the coast, so there are a large number of people whose livelihood is dependent on Fishing business. This Fishing Business has been a part of the Culture and Tradition of Tamilnadu, and this business is going on from generation after generations. Due to the effect of this lock-down, the lives of these people also have not remained untouched.

Due to the lock down, these people have not been able to go fishing or sell in the sea for the past weeks. They are filling their stomach with the stock that was left with them, they are also getting exhausted, in such a situation; they have a problem of starving themselves and their families.

Our Infodea Team has been continuously highlighting the problems of such people. Our team spoke to some such fishermen in which Nochiikuppam fisherman, Mr.Ranjit Kumar says that he goes fishing in the sea every day, which nourishes his family.

He says that the lock-down that the government has announced has been done for the benefit of all of us so that we can avoid this epidemic. But the government should also think about people like us.

He had money only for 1 week so that he could gather food for himself and his family. But now they do not have this capability that they can take care of their family in the coming days.

Mr.Ethraj says that Nochiikuppam has 350 fish shops and has been closed for weeks. His income has stalled due to this captive. At the same time, due to the government’s order, he cannot even go fishing. In such a situation, no MLA and MP is coming to take care of them. His government is requested to take care of him and help him.

Another Fisherman, Rupesh Kumar says that the family of more than 10,000 people in Nochiikuppam is dependent only on fisheries trade. Men go and do fishing and women sell the fish. Due to the detention for the past few weeks, they are neither able to go fishing nor sell.

The State Government has announced ₹ 1000 as aid to help these people, which is not enough for them. They say that they will not be able to maintain their family with ₹ 1000 in 21 days of lock down.

Cinema Devi, who lives in the same area, says that the government has announced an assistance of ₹ 1000 due to lock-down. The lock-down has increased the prices of essential goods and they will not be able to do anything with one thousand rupees.

Kala Devi says that she and her family cannot live with the help provided by the government for 21 days. In such a situation, when the government has given permission to open shops for other important things, fishermen should also be allowed to do so. They will take care of social distancing in this work so that there is no risk of spreading the epidemic.

Ms. Parvati says that by eating the fish that they had, they have survived till now, but now they have no fish also left. The government has also banned fishing, in such a situation a very serious situation has arisen in front of them.

She is upset thinking how to feed her family. The government had earlier announced a 1-week lock-down which was later extended to 21 days and further extended. In such a situation, how will their families be fed is such a crisis.

Ms. Bharti, President of the South India Fishermen’s Welfare Association, says the Nochiikuppam area is home to a family of more than 10,000 people, dependent on the fisheries trade alone.

There are more than 350 shops here, they have 200 small villages. The entire business has trolled down due to the lock-down, being the Leader of the Union, everyone brings problems to them but we have no solution to these problems. We recently met The Director of the Department Directorate and apprised them of the problems of these fishermen.

The department had also come to believe in their possible help, but if this help is delayed a bit, then these fishermen will come to the state of starving.

He has also urged the State Government to allow him to catch and sell fish. The fishermen should also be allowed to catch and sell fish in the same way that milk and vegetable food are allowed to be sold so that they and their families can be fed.

In this time of corona virus pandemic, he will also follow all the rules of the government so that the disease cannot spread but he should be allowed to do their business.