Andhra Pradesh

Fishermen do not want to take chances

By M. Venkateswara Rao

ONGOLE, JAN. 1. After witnessing the tsunami devastation, `pallekarulu' (fishermen) are afraid of venturing into the sea again and are waiting for their Tamil counterparts to test the waters first.

Several fishermen had migrated from Tamil Nadu and settled down at various places along the coast up to Vodarevu near Chirala in Andhra Pradesh. They are called `pattapollu' (indicating that they had come from Chennapatnam) as they have retained their culture and live separately from `pallekarulu.' `Pattapollu,' considered more aggressive and known for their entrepreneurship, too are not keen on going into the sea. It looks that the fishermen may take one more month to resume their normal operation. The reasons for it are: the fear of the sea. They have no boats and nets. And they are given one month ration by the Government.

As all men stay back home, the coastal habitations are abuzz with activity. Relief operations are the major activity. The inhabitants are given 25 kg rice.

They swarm the medical camp to get medicines for ailments like cold, cough, fever and body pains.

They shudder to think of the tsunami experience when the sea rose to three to four metres high and devoured five women. While two were working on their salt farm, three women were helping their husbands remove crabs from the net when the waves had washed them away.

Had it occurred an hour later, 1,000 to 1,500 people would have died in Ullapalem itself, says a woman.

Most of the people were having breakfast in the village and getting ready to go to the shore when the tidal wave struck.

"Parents send their children even for just Rs. 3 to remove crabs from nets, weigh, clean, boil and skin them before selling them to merchants for export," she says.

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