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Artisanal fishers of Rameswaram resist the polluting shrimp farms on the island

A group of boats fishing boats returning the island of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India.

Artisanal fishers in Rameswaram pulling their catch from the nets they laid out the previous night.

A shrimp farm in Thirupullani at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.

A worker feeds shrimps at a farm.

Mandapam Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture undertakes the maintenance and research on microalgae and zooplankton as live feed.

A display of fresh catch of fish from the sea.

Rameswaram fishers bringing their catch to the shore.

Pipelines draw water from the ocean to supply shrimp farms. Some farms situated right at the coast in Ariyankundu have not adhered to the CAA rules, say activists.

Pipelines draw water from the ocean to supply shrimp farms. Some farms situated right at the coast in Ariyankundu have not adhered to the CAA rules, say activists.

A shrimp farm in Ariyankundu close to the coast. Activists allege that some farms are less than 200 metres from the high tide lines, against the CAA rules.

The view of shrimp farms from the roof of a house in Rameswaram.

Water stagnated behind shrimp farms where people used to practice agriculture and pastoralism.

Coral formations called pavazha paarai in Tamil, are an integral part of the coast of Rameswaram. Activists say that these coral formations near the coast were damaged in the process of installing shrimp farms.

Activist Karunamoorthy alleges that many shrimp farms in Rameswaram have not adhered to the Coastal Aquaculture Authority Act.

Algal blooms in the effluent water.

Effluent water behind a shrimp farm in Ariyankundu.

Tamil Nadu Sea Workers Association State Secretary, C.R. Senthilvel says, “In Tamil Nadu, shrimp farming and coastal aquaculture have been promoted for many decades as an alternative livelihood for traditional fishers but those who have set up these farms and those who are employed here are mostly not local people.”

Arulraj K from Ariyankundu says that their village could soon become empty with many people migrating due to a lack of water and livelihood opportunities.

Maruseliyan S (L) and Palarajan S from Ariyankundu recall the days when they shared the water from their wells and practiced agriculture as a community.

Johnson Peter from Pillaikulam. He is one of the last people left in a ghost village but refuses to sell his house to shrimp farm owners and migrate.

Nyanasoundari S (L) and Arokiyanirmala A are sisters-in-law. “We now pay Rs. 50 per day to get water. Drawing water from wells is not possible anymore,” says Arokiyanirmala. Nyanasoundari S went to prison in 1994, along with 45 other people, for protesting against a shrimp farm.

Pillaikulam residents now pay Rs. 800 for one load of water in a drum. “This doesn’t even last an entire month,” reports Maria Rosai. This water is used for drinking, bathing and for the last remaining cattle they own.

Artisanal fisher in Rameswaram.

An artisanal fisher in Rameswaram.

© 2023 by Narayana Swamy Subbaraman | narayanaswamysubbaraman@gmail.com | Chennai, India

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