Date:03/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/03/stories/2005030302141900.htm

Back Govt blamed for neglecting tsunami victims

Our Bureau

Visakhapatnam , March 2

THE State Government and the Union Government are indifferent to the plight of fishermen in the coastal villages of South India, hit hard by the recent tsunami, and even after two months, fishermen are unable to lead a normal life, as catches have dwindled and prices fallen, according to Mr Willy Thoyce, the Secretary-General of the World Confederation of Labour, Brussels, Belgium.

He was addressing a press meet here on Wednesday after visiting several fishermen villages in East Godavari on Tuesday to assess the conditions there in the aftermath of tsunami.

"The conditions are really pitiable and there seems to be not much help from the Government apart from giving some rice immediately after the disaster. However, the fishermen have lost everything, the boats, fishing gear and nets. They are in urgent need of help. We will try to focus on their plight and render them whatever help we can," he said.

He said the Indian Confederation of Labour, affiliated to the WCL, would exert pressure on the Indian Government to attend to the needs of tsunami-hit fishermen. He said he would visit Chennai and other affected areas to prepare a report. "WCL is a member of the ILO. We will try to highlight the issue when the ILO meets in June," he added.

Mr Ashok Bhattacharjee, the national president of ICL, said the major trade unions, affiliated to major political parties, were not interested in the unorganised sector and they were using the workers in the organised sector for their political ends.

"The informal, or unorganised, sector is badly ignored. Weavers, fishermen, unorganised rural labour deserve a better deal to live with dignity. The ICL is striving hard to better their lot. In the aftermath of tsunami, fishermen are really in a horrible position. The governments do not care. The NGOs, the public and activists should go to their rescue," he said. Ms Lakshmi, of the Boat Workers' Union, said it was really unfortunate that the Government had taken up no initiative to bring a semblance of normalcy to the lives of fishermen.

"For the past two months, there are virtually no catches. There is no facility for marketing what little has been caught. The Government has washed its hands off with 10 kgs of rice distributed in the fishermen's colonies immediately after the disaster," she complained.