Distributing welfare assistance to fishermen at a function at Keechankuppam, the Minister said that the Government was according top priority for the welfare of the fishermen.

He pointed out that the Government had recently waived Rs 80 crore loan obtained by the tsunami-hit fishermen under Rajiv Gandhi National Reconstruction Project.

A new scheme had been launched to provide engines worth Rs 23,736 each to the fishermen who are using ‘vallam’ boats to convert them into mechanised ones. Under the scheme, 338 fishermen will benefit in the state, he said.

Samy said in this year’s budget, the Government had allotted Rs 200 crore to protect the coastline from sea erosion.

Earlier, the Minister distributed welfare assistance worth Rs 19.19 lakh to the fishermen.

Nagapattinam District Collector (in-charge) A Annadurai presided. Minister for Dairy Development U Mathivanan was also present.

After the leaders returned to Panagal building, the volunteers, who included fishermen, who came from the coastal districts of Kanniyakumari and Cuddalore, squatted on the road, when police arrested them.

Those who courted arrest included Mr Varadarajan, party Rajya Sabha Member T K Rangarajan, Legislator K Mahendiran, former MLA W R Varadarajan and Fishermen Associations Federation President P Karunanidhi.

The memorandum to the Governor sought the Centre’s intervention to stop the attacks on Tamil fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Fishermen were also warned not to venture into the sea as strong onshore winds with speed reaching 45-55 kmph is likely along off Tamilnadu and Puducherry coasts.

Normal life was affected due to heavy rain this morning. – Agencies

In a statement, she said the party’s North Chennai Unit would organise an agitation in front of the Memorial Hall here to condemn the Union and State Governments for allegedly not taking steps to get back the Katchatheevu Island from Sri Lanka to prevent attacks on Indian fishermen by the Lankan Navy and urge the Centre to withdraw its decision to bring in a Legislation against the fishermen.

She said fishermen crossing international maritime boundaries was inevitable across the globe and the Lankan Navy’s act of opening fire on Tamil Nadu fishermen for crossing the line could never be accepted.

Though the Indian fishermen had the right to fish around Katchatheevu Island under the agreement, this was not liked by the Lankan Government.

The Indian Government also supported the act of the Lankan Government, she alleged.

Schools and better economic opportunities have come their way, five years on.

“Before the tsunami I was living along the coast in a small hut. When the tsunami struck, I lost whatever little I had,” Mohana, who is from this community in Nemelli village, told IANS.

“Because we don’t belong to the fishermen community, who were directly affected, we did not get immediate help from the government. However after that, a few NGOs came to us and offered us land to build our houses. This came as a huge relief,” she said.

Mohana said she is also the leader of a self-help group in her village now.

A small group of indigenous, forest-dwelling population that had for generations made a living out of catching and skinning snakes, the Irula tribe mostly live near the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.

While social hierarchy had already placed them in the lowest rung, the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 made their means of survival illegal. It was, however, the tsunami that suddenly brought the focus on the community – and a flood of relief along with it.

Chitra of Masimaga Nagar in Kancheepuram district said: “After the tsunami, I lost my house, my belongings…my husband also left me later. However, after the intervention of the NGOs, I got a job in a government run pre-school at my village and slowly my life got back on the track.”

Among the NGOs that came forward to help this tribe rebuild their lives was ActionAid, an international charity and the Irula Tribal Women’s Welfare Society (ITWWS).

Besides registering a piece of land in the name of the women folk of the tribe and helping build houses for families, the NGOs also built schools and spread awareness programmes among the tribe to educate their children.

According to ActionAid, the literacy rate of the Irula population – roughly 150,000 – is just four percent.

“In the initial period, the government schools refused to admit the Irula kids since their parents have a tendency of moving from one place to another in search of jobs and thus the dropout rate amongst the children is high,” Jacob Premkumar of ITWWS said.

“The parents were also not too interested in sending their children to schools initially. However, awareness programmes on the importance of education turned the tide.

“The parents were convinced to send their kids to school and the officials were convinced about admitting them. Today a number of Irula kids go to school and are very happy,” Premkumar told IANS.

He said fishing in the backwaters, working as helpers to fisherman, catching prawn and collecting earthworms were some of the livelihood options for the Irulas.

“But after the tsunami, the fisherfolk treated the Irulas as opponents, thus creating a lot of problems. With the intervention of civil society groups, they are now involved in a host of activities like wood carving, setting up cycle repair shops, tiffin centres and provision stores other than fishing,” Premkumar told IANS.

Five years after the tsunami killed more than 12,000 people in the east coast and snatched the home and livelihood of 200,000 more, the Irula tribe celebrates the disaster that changed their destiny.

The party alleged that if enacted, the law would deprive the fishermen of their livelihood.

Led by former minister D. Jayakumar and AIADMK’s Parliamentary Party leader V. Maitrayen, the fishermen demanded that the Marine Fisheries Bill be dropped permanently.

JAYALALITHAA CHARGE

Meanwhile, in a statement here, party general secretary Jayalalithaa accused the Centre of trying to create an exclusive economic zone without thinking for a moment that such an attempt would cause an enormous damage to domestic fishermen.

The Bill, she said, would restrict the fishing activities to the areas within 12 nautical miles. The area beyond the stipulated miles would come under the control of the Central government, Ms. Jayalalityhaa said.

“For a good catch the fishermen have to go beyond 12 nautical miles. Such restriction will finally destroy fishing in the country.”

Ms. Jayalalithaa also described as eyewash, the proposed consultation on the Bill, saying that there was nothing in it that required consultation.

In a statement here, she charged the Chief Minister with washing off his hands on the issue by thanking Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and stating that he was happy that Mr Pawar had deferred the introduction of the Bill during the current session of Parliament.

Referring to Mr Karunanidhi’s letter, thanking him for his announcement that the Government would follow a consensus approach after wider and detailed consultations with all concerned before finalising the Legislation, Ms Jayalalithaa said this clearly showed that the DMK leader was no more interested in opposing the proposed bill, which was against the interest of fishermen.

Mr Karunanidhi’s thanksgiving letter was akin to the calling off of his three-hour long fast, after he was ”informed” of ceasefire in Sri Lanka, she said, adding the decision to follow a consensus amounted to cheating the fishermen.

”As far as I am concerned, the draft Bill should be dropped once for all. This is the expectation of fishermen also,” she said and urged the Centre, on behalf of the fishing community, to drop the move to bring in the legislation.

If the Centre tried to introduce the Bill again, the AIADMK would oppose it tooth and nail and mobilise the support of other parties to oppose it,

In a letter to Mr Pawar, a copy of which was released to the press here, Mr Karunanidhi thanked him and the Centre for taking a ”good and timely” decision, on account of the problems of fishermen in the country.

He said, ”On behalf of the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu, I convey my thanks to you for having taken a decision not to introduce the Bill in the current session based on the request made by me”.

The Chief Minister said he was happy that Mr Pawar had deferred the introduction of the Bill and thanked him for his announcement that the Government would follow a consensus approach after wider and detailed consultations with all concerned before finalising the legislation.

Mr Karunanidhi also recalled the November 19, letter written to him about the adverse effects the Bill would have on fishermen, the discussions DMK MP and Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran had with him and the subsequent interview given by Mr Pawar dispelling the fears of fishermen.

Listing out the welfare measures initiated by the government for the minority Muslim community people and fishing community, the DMK Chief, in an eipstle to party cadres, flayed the opposition AIADMK for its disinformation campaign, while seeking votes in the by-election to Thiruchendur and Vandavasi assembly constituencies.

In an obvious reference to AIADMK leader Ms Jayalalithaa’s campaign speeches, Mr Karunanidhi said the DMK government was functioning with the sole aim of helping not only the minority Muslims and fishermen, but all sections of the society.

The opposition, while electioneering, has been spreading false information that the government had not helped the Muslims and fishermen, just for the sake of seeking votes and this gave him an opportunity to put the record straight, he said.

The Chief Minister called upon the partymen to get to know the welfare schemes launched for Muslims and fishermen, and explain them to the people of the two constituencies.

His party would ensure that they were able to fish anywhere between Sri Lanka and India, Vijayakant said at election meetings in Tiruchendur assembly constituency.

Addressing series of election meetings in Tiruchendur assembly constituency on Sunday night, he said, “We are the only party to contest without any alliance and people are our allies.”