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India: As industries pollute water, fishermen lose livelihood

Fishermen near southern city of Chennai protest as toxic fumes and waste contaminate water, making fishing difficult.

Thermal power plant towers over the sea and the entire landscape at Ennore. LC Raji, Secretary, Nettukuppam Fishermen Welfare Board, is a fisherman who has been doing fishing here from 20-30 years. “B
The thermal power plant towers over the sea and the entire landscape in Ennore. 'Back then, we used to catch plenty of fish. All the types of fish were available - vanjaram, vavval, muvalasi, thoondil, paara, kaarai and so on. Today, there are hardly any,' said LC Raji of the Nettukuppam Fishermen Welfare Board. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
By Sharada Balasubramanian
Published On 26 Nov 2019

Ennore, Chennai – Situated 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the coastal megacity of Chennai in southern India‘s Tamil Nadu state, Ennore is surrounded by the Kosasthalaiyar river, the Bay of Bengal, and the Ennore creek.

Ennore creek is vital for Chennai since it protects the city from floods and provides water. The creek separates the seawater from inland water bodies, acting as a barrier to prevent the salt water from entering the fresh water.

In the last 20 years, however, many smaller industries sprung up in the area in a rapid, uncontrolled way after a thermal power plant was set up. The North Chennai Thermal Power Station, EID Parry, Coromandel Cement and Kothari Fertilisers are among the few industries here polluting the creek.

The fly ash from the thermal plant is dumped into the creek’s fresh water, as is the hot, polluted water from the coal plant. These industries have reduced the creek to a mere ash pond, affecting the ecology and livelihood of the fishermen around it.

Two years ago, India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT) threatened to close the power plant if it did not stop the illegal dumping of fly ash into the creek. But the NGT order continues to be flouted.

Protests by the area’s fishermen demanding compensation for the loss of their livelihoods has gone unheard. Despite living next to the sea, they are unable to fish and support their families.

Apart from contaminating the water and the air, the toxic fumes affect the health of the people in Ennore, who continue to wait for action against the polluting industries.

The river mouth, where Ennore creek meets the sea is clogged from the dumping of fly ash from the coal plant. Flushing hot water is released into this river, altering the natural temperature of the wa
The point where Ennore creek meets the sea is clogged from the dumping of fly ash from the coal plant. Flushing hot water is released here, altering the natural temperature of the water for the fish to breed and breathe. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
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When men in the village did active fishing, women pitched in too. Vennila says, “As the men approached the shore with their catch, we sifted through the nets, cleaned them, sitting together in groups.
When men used to fish, women would pitch in. 'As the men approached the shore with their catch, we sifted through the nets, cleaned them, sitting together in groups. Today, with no fish, we have no work. We are seeking work but there has not been much success. Earlier, we cast nets on the seashore and caught fish. Now, there are stones along the shore, and we cannot enter the sea. Sometimes, we pick fish from the river, but we do not always get them,' said Vennila. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
P Chinnaraj, 55, has been unable to even feed his family, with no fish to catch. He says, “You see this ammonia fuming out from the industry, this mixes with water, fishes will not grow in this water.
P Chinnaraj, 55, says he is unable to feed his family with no fish to catch. 'You see this ammonia fuming out from the industry. It mixes with water, fish will not grow in this water. The taste of fish has also gone now because of ammonia. We never thought this would happen. We have lost our livelihood,' he said. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
All fishermen are asking now is a livelihood loss compensation. Raji says, “When the first industry was set up, we fought and got 1000 jobs, but now, government says it is not in the gazette to give j
Fishermen are demanding compensation for their lost livelihood. 'When the first industry was set up, we fought and got 1,000 jobs. Now, the government says it can't give jobs. There are hundreds of educated youth in Nettukuppam village, but they are unemployed. People can neither fish nor do they have a job,' said Raji. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
Just a few metres from the sea, where fishermen live, noxious concoction of fumes waft in the air. “One cannot even stand here. We cannot breathe this air. People living here have tooth problems due t
A few metres away from the sea, where fishermen live, a concoction of fumes wafts in the air. 'One cannot even stand here. We cannot breathe this air. People here have tooth problems due to inhalation of this air. Also, if you put your feet inside this water, it will puff up. How will fish stay here?' asks Raji. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
. Illegal poaching of red worms is a new threat to fish survival. Raji says, “Red worms in this river is food for fishes. This has been poached by individuals (about 500 kilos a day) and transported t
Illegal poaching of red worms is a new threat to the survival of fish. Raji says almost 500kg (1,102 pounds) of red worms, which is food for fish, is being poached every day and transported to other states for prawn farming. 'We complained to the forest department, but these things continue to happen due to various loopholes in the system,' he says. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
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L Panjanathan, a 55-year old fisherman says, “The fishermen numbers have also increased. More people go into the sea, and there is a shift to mechanised boats. This has also added to the pressure. Fis
L Panjanathan, a 55-year-old fisherman, says there are more fishermen now who use mechanised boats, adding to their pressure. 'Fishermen also use a special net which catches many fish in one go, leaving fewer fish for other fishermen.' [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
Erosion is another major issue. Fishermen homes have been crumbling to pieces. “There have been more cyclones recently, and we are surrounded by water, and think how we will escape if something happen
Land erosion is another issue. The homes of the fishermen are crumbling. 'There have been more cyclones recently, and we are surrounded by water. We think how we will escape if something happens. We suffered a lot during the tsunami,' said G Vennila, a resident. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
. “In the name of corporate social responsibility (CSR), companies are giving vessels, ice box, engine for diesel-run boats, but the entire money does not come to us,” says C Mahalakshmi. Raji adds,
'In the name of corporate social responsibility, companies are giving vessels, ice box, engine for diesel boats, but the entire money does not come to us,' says C Mahalakshmi. Raji adds that funds also come from the state's fisheries department, but does not reach them. 'The fund is misused and only some amount reaches us,' he says. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
C Mahalakshmi, 30, has memories of growing next to the sea. She says, “Earlier, 20 people used to come together, after the catch, and clean fishes. They would give us a handful of fishes. There was an
C Mahalakshmi, 30, has memories of growing next to the sea. 'Earlier, 20 people came together after a catch and cleaned fish. They would give us a handful. There was an old woman who ran a shop nearby. We used to buy 'kottanguchi halwa' [a sweet] and boiled tapioca in exchange for fish. Today, we have to go to the market and spend 300-400 rupees ($3-4) to buy fish. It is a big change.' [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
Coal ash contains heavy metals like arsenic, boron, and cadmium. Heavy metals accumulate in fish and harm their ability to reproduce. The southern wing of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the
Coal ash contains heavy metals such as arsenic, boron and cadmium. They accumulate in fish and harm their ability to reproduce. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the thermal plant to remove fly ash from the river's mouth. A dredging machine to clear the ash was bought at one crore rupees ($140,000). 'Ten people were employed to dredge, but you can see them sitting there, idle. The machine was used just once to show off, but is not used for dredging,' says Raji. [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
Right in front of a cement factory, a woman in her 60s, who did not wished to be named says, “Groundwater on one side of the land where the industry is, has become unusable. They have set up water pum
Standing in front of the cement factory, a woman in her 60s, who did not wish to be named, says: 'Groundwater on the land where the industry stands is unusable. They have set up water pumps and also a clinic, where they see the local people for 10 rupees ($0.20). They call them 10-rupee doctors. My husband suffers from severe wheezing, and my grandson, who is 12, has skin issues. Ammonia from the factory behind our house is affecting our health. I have lost two members of the family.' [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
Vennila says, “Despite living next to the sea, we have to buy fish from the market, and we cannot afford it. The fishermen from Ennore travel to Royapuram fish landing centre, buy fish from there and
Vennila said the fishermen from Ennore travel to Royapuram to buy fish and sell at the local market at three-times the price. 'Look at our plight, we are fishermen and we cannot eat fish anymore. Also, we don't see the fish we saw 15 years ago. We have even forgotten some fish with time. Earlier, we just rubbed salt and the fish tasted well. Not anymore.' [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]
Raji says, “We have been doing protests. All the villagers are now getting together and thinking of taking the next step. We need to stop this. We plan to stir the protest with black flags, where the
Raji says the villagers are thinking of taking the next step in their protest. 'We plan to use black flags at the site where the water is flowing. We need police permission for that, and if we do that, officials may come and talk to us.' [Sharada Balasubramanian/Al Jazeera]