The study captures how the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry deal with a lot of challenges in their daily hectic work schedule and assesses the dynamics of the changing climate conditions and rampant marine pollution on fishers and the trade at large.
Authors
Sakshi Chindaliya, Assistant Lecturer, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Ashika Thomas, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom.
Deepanshu Mohan, Professor of Practice, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India; Centre for New Economics Studies, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, India.
Jignesh Mistry, Centre for New Economics Studies, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Summary
This study is a culmination of an ethnographic research that was conducted on fisherfolk in parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the two-month annual ban-period (April–June). It captures the nuances of lives and livelihoods of this community as they juggle a hectic work schedule with constant and recurring shocks.
Exploring the intricacies of socio-economic and cultural portfolios on fishers in this region has helped in documenting the issues and challenges that confront them. This has also aided in dismantling some preconceived notions about the community and bringing forward fishers’ diverse personal narratives.
Money management, gender polarities and youth participation and its effects on the continuity of trade is analyzed. Additionally, the paper delves into assessing the dynamics of the changing climate conditions and rampant marine pollution on fishers and the trade at large. Finally, the research juxtaposes the 2004 Tsunami with the 2020 Covid Pandemic to assess temporal vulnerabilities and discusses the requirement for ex-post and preventive policy measures to deal with shocks.
Published in: Pan-India Stories of Informal Workers During Covid-19 Pandemic
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