Fisherwomen toil to make ends meet
Fisherwomen toil to make ends meet
KENDRAPARA: Fisherwomen in the coastal districts of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur toil hard to make the ends meet. Scores of them m..

KENDRAPARA: Fisherwomen in the coastal districts of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur toil hard to make the ends meet. Scores of them make their way to the fish markets in Chapali, Marsaghai, Kujang , Erasama, Paradip and other areas with a common agenda, dispose of the day’s catch.With what could only be termed as a dazzling display of marketing skills, they interact freely with the buyers, most of the women succeed in selling their catch in the market.These women present a rare example of emancipation within their community. Sabitri Jana (40) of Kharnasi village has been a fishmonger for as long as she can remember. She says she began accompanying her mother to the market as a child. “I have customers who blindly trust the quality of my fish since I never cheat my customers,” added she. However, it takes a lot more than the spirit and marketing acumen to lead the lives these women do. In the last 20 years, Sabitri’s routine has not changed. Everyday at twilight, she catches fish and crab in the rivers and creeks and then sells them in the market. Yet, at the end of a gruelling day, all that Sabitri gets are a few hundred rupees. It’s certainly not a life for everyone. Long hours, hard work and less money are enough to keep most people away and so she is bent upon changing her 10-year-old daughter Sandhya’s life. She has enrolled her daughter in school to give her a better future. There are 5,000 women in both the districts who eke out their living by fishing. A majority lives in dismal conditions in the fishing villages. Most of these women barely earn Rs. 100 to 200 a day. The poor income can be attributed to decline in the daily catch as a result of high pollution levels in the rivers and creeks. Additional Director of Fisheries Department (Marine), Kujang, Rabi Narayan Patnaik said the Fisheries Department under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) programme has provided financial help to about 300 self-help groups including many fisher women SHGs. “The Department also provides training in making dry fish, prawn pickles, net binding and other works to overcome their poor financial condition,” he added.

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