Community Water Stories India

Background

Fishing communities in South India stem back to ancient times. Traditional fishing is a job of high risks, and very few reap the benefits of a good catch. As a result, many of these fishermen suffer socially and economically. The current Tamilnadu government in India considers these communities to be backward and has often ignored their protests against unfavorable conditions. Many of these unfavorable conditions can be linked to environmental problems caused by

industrialization and government policy.

Problems in region

Traditional fishing has suffered a great deal, especially as deep sea fishing becomes more prominent. Deep sea fishing yields much larger catches than traditional fishing, but at a heavy cost to coastal fishing communities and the environment. Deep sea rigs damage seabeds and often dump rotting fish into the sea. Traditional fishermen suffer from low harvests caused by deep sea exploitation and polluted water. The Tamilnadu government has also undertaken a massive project to build a 9,000-megawatt nuclear atomic station. The typical life of a nuclear atomic station is only 20 to 25 years, and the cost of clean up can be up to 100 times the original plant cost. Nuclear energy produces massive amounts of hazardous and radioactive waste, and the threat of a nuclear disaster has caused the government to force 3 major fishing villages to vacate a 5-kilometer area around the new plant.

Industrialization has also brought many problems into the region. Industries on the coastline often dump their chemicals into waterways and damage coastal areas. The Sethu Samudram Canal Project threatens to destroy the unique and fragile marine ecology in the Gulf of Mannar, which around 50,000 people rely on for their sustenance. The government has encouraged multinational corporations to relocate to these coastal areas in an effort to industrialize. Roadways and waterways have been constructed to connect fishing communities, but this has also brought more industry and problems that provide further stress on the ecosystem. Sewage discharge has also been a major problem. Inadequate water treatment systems cannot handle the load of the population, causing a good deal of sewage to be dumped into the ocean.

Illegal sand mining has also been a major problem for coastal communities. Garnet sand and red sand are mined from beaches and are used to cut mirrors, fabricate picture tubes, make paints, and for various other projects. Sand mining has caused beaches to erode, and put many coastal communities at risk of flood damage.

Efforts being made to solve the problem

The Tamilnadu government has not accomplished much in trying to solve these problems. The government has made industrialization its primary concern, much of which comes at the expense of the fishing communities mentioned. Local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have tried to fight on behalf of the people, but the majority of the residents in fishing communities lack the education or financial power to influence government decisions.

International Involvement

International involvement has not been effective thus far. Despite protests by the IUCN commission, UNEP, and UNESCO against nuclear development and canal construction, the Tamilnadu government continues onward. The government has encouraged deep sea fishing by allowing deep sea rigs to pass freely through Indian waters and offering fuel and supplies to these rigs, often at a discounted rate. The government continues to develop nuclear power by claiming that it will help solve India's energy problems, but there are many energy alternatives that are feasible. India has plenty of resources - solar energy, wind power, water, and waste - that can be used to meet the energy needs of the country. If the government would utilize such sources, the cost of production is inexpensive and eco-friendly. Thus far, the Tamilnadu government has been reluctant to suggestions and proposals by the international community.