URBANIZATION OF FISHERMEN COMMUNITIES IN

THIRUVOTTIYUR

INTRODUCTION-

Thiruvottiyur is a taluk under the Tondiarpet division of North Chennai. It is

administered by the Greater Chennai Corporation. It is located on the shores of
Bay of Bengal. The proximity to the ocean makes it a prominent fishing hamlet
and development of related industries and enhanced trading activities in the area.
The area has seen a drastic change especially in the last 20 years. The geography or
the space is modified and is in the process of rejuvenation by the urbanization
process.

LITERATURE REVIEW-

The new flats are like a hostel. There are 41 single room apartments in a floor.
Many fishermen feel that it will be difficult for them to stay with their families.
The construction was started in 2005 and has almost completed. Now the
government has to distribute these flats to the Tsunami affected fishermen. Tamil
Nadu Slum Clearance Board has given the responsibility to distribute the flats. But
it is not happening as slum clearance board has allotted 150 flats to Dalit people.
When fishermen came to know about it, they staged a protest against the
government. Later the government has decided to give all the flats to fishermen
(Economic and Political Weekly).

GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHICS-

The area is easily accessible by Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses
from across the city and has a bus terminus. The area is also served by
the Tiruvottiyur railway junction of the Chennai Suburban Railway Network. As of
2011, the neighborhood had a population of 249,446.

The area has seen a 17% decadal growth of population from 2001 to 2011.

OBJECTIVE-

The aim of the research is to trace the urbanization of fishermen community in

Thiruvottiyur especially in the last 20 years and analyze the impacts on their
fishing occupation, daily lives, standard of living, usage of the space, etc.

TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION-

The group has employed qualitative method of data collection, to gather opinions,
experiences and their in-depth analysis. We asked open-ended questions, more like
a natural conversation in order to build a better rapport with the local fishermen to
carry out a reliable research.

This report covers the content of the interview conducted with a lounge boat owner
his laborers in the first visit and a group of small fishermen in the second visit with
some of our observations.

ANALYSIS OF THE VISITS

On the first day, we visited a N4 beach located in Thiruvottiyur. There we
observed that the place was filled with ice factories, ice breaking machines, and
laborers transporting the ice into fishing vessels and many lounge boats parked.

On the second day, we visited a place called Ondikuppam located in

Thiruvottiyur. There we got the chance to interact with the group of small
fishermen and get to know about their opinions experiences and the meaning they
attach to that place as well as their fishing occupation.

The primary question we did ask was “Do you earn earn enough money through
fishing?” Both the lounge boat owner as well as the small fishermen replied that
they did not get enough returns from their investment in fishing. The next question
followed “Then why do you still continue to hold this occupation?”. Both the
respondents said, “They attached a sentimental value or meaning to fishing as an
occupation and it stems from their training and skills acquired through informal
means from their fathers who were also fishermen.

Sridhar, a fisherman from Ondikuppam proclaimed that he still does fishing

because only here he can feel that “he is the boss for his own self and need not
depend on anyone else for survival” .

HOW THE SPACE HAS TRANSFORMED ?

Thiruvottiyur was known as Kolaigaran pettai before 20 years, because it was a

backward rural area with only marginal fishing community. The fishermen say that
their gross income had reduced in the present compared to twenty years ago. Also
they say that since Thiruvottiyur has transformed into an urban space, the income
from fishing is not enough to meet the cost of living there. According to
Arockiasamy 63, there were only huts and stone walled houses and was no cement
and brick construction could be found in that area. There was only a single road for
commutation and no street lightings.

Only during the AIADMK rule in 2015, citing the reason for the comfortable and
safe travel of the then Chief Minister and Legislative Assembly member of
R.K.Nagar Late Ms.J.Jeyalalitha, National highway was constructed with all
lighting facilities in this area.

The fishermen exclaimed that before 20 years, their houses were located on the
same point which is currently water logged by sea. That was an astonishing fact
that we heard from the local which shows the empirical evidence of climate change
and rising sea levels. According to their accounts, developments started taking
place only after the 2004 Tsunami which left their homes devastated. So in order
to rehabilitate them the Government built 2 “Tsunami quarters apartments” which
provide pucca houses with one bed room each. This was followed by onset of
small shops, commercial complexes, clinics etc., which led the urbanization to
unfold. Those days during heavy rainfall the area would be left water-logged but
now Thiruvottiyur remain free from floods and it even did during 2015 Chennai
floods.

Regarding healthcare facilities the locals said that there were only small clinics
before 20 years, but at present there are 2 Multi-specialty hospitals namely
Sugam hospital, and Government hospital for Women. In the education sectors
there were only Paalvaadis for many years, but now Velammal School for higher
education has been instituted.

When enquired about the drinking water provision, the fishermen said the whole
area of Ondikuppam depends on the Corporation water facility. After these
infrastructural developments the government installed many transformers in the
vicinity which enhanced their access to electricity.

TRANSFORMATION AND IMACT ON FISHING AS AN OCCUPATION

The fishermen collectively said in today’s situation they were not absolutely sure
about whether they will even be able to cover the cost. Few years back they used
“Kattumaram” but now they use “fiber boats” which are bought from dealers at
the cost of minimum Rs.2 lakhs per boat plus the cost of engine and the fuel for
every night. The fishermen almost ten in a group were knitting the fishing nets
together. They said they have special nets one for small fishes like Nethili, and the
other for catching the rest. It almost costs them Rs.1 lakh per net, which again if
not taken good care after every ride would again cost them heavily.

There is difference between lounge boat owners and small fishermen. Lounge
boats carry 3-4 persons per boat and can venture into the sea for 10-12 days
straight with all the supplies. One such owner Karthick said, they would catch
fishes worth Rs.5-6 lakhs when they return but due to increase in oil prices, the
profit margin has drastically declined.

In contrast the small fishermen venture daily into the sea. They start their boats at
2-3 AM in the morning and return before forenoon. They catch fishes however
they said one day they might catch huge variety of fishes and the other day none.

The temporary restriction of fishing imposed by the government, applies to lounge

boats but the small fishermen are allowed to catch even during that time. They
even say that those 40 days are the most prosperous days for them.

The small fishermen complained that the yield of fishes has reduced compared to
20 years ago, so there is heavy competition for catching the scarce fishes available.
This turns out to be an unfair competition as the big boats from the neighboring
Main Tondiarpet community use ‘Surukumadi valai’ which reaches up to the
benthic depths and catch all the marine organism that comes in its way in one go.
The ‘Surukumadi valai’ covers a broad area leaving very less fishes for the fiber
boat owners.

COMPENSATIONS FOR ACCIDENTS-

The fishermen told that if someone loses his life while fishing in the sea it will be
reported to the government officials immediately after the return. But the family
has to wait for almost 3 years to get the compensation amount. So in that period the
family suffers, as women of the household were previously not part of the labor
force and now she has to find employment.

MARKET STRUCTURE-

The fishermen brings the caught fish to the shores and sell it to the dealer/broker/
intermediary who purchases it for some amount which includes profit for the
fishermen. The dealer then sells it to the retailers and they finally auction the fish
collectively to consumers. In Thiruvottiyur Kasimedu market is the primary place
to witness the market structure.

OBSERVATION-

We observed the phenomenon of Rural-Urban Continuum, i.e., the continuity

from the village to the city with no sharp differences between the two either
physically or socially.

From the conservations we had with the locals we observed they had a strong we
feeling, a sense of belonging and personal, informal relations.
But the infrastructure of the place characterizes ‘Urban’. This shows that the
Thiruvottiyur is not fully Urbanized but is in the process of Urbanization with the
qualities of rural society as well.

The locals said drainage water from the households is let through a pipe into the
sea. This impacts their community, since it produces foul smell and often leads to
diseases. It reduces the fishing stock, since polluted water destroy their habitat and
makes it unsuitable for the marine organisms to live.

Thiruvottiyur is a “sponge space”. Sponge space absorbs rain water and prevents
floods. Thiruvottiyur being not completely urbanized has the natural capacity to
absorb rain water through features such as ponds, proximity to sea and sloping
surfaces on which roads and houses are built.

SUGGESTIONS-

1. These fishermen rely on only Kasimedu market to sell their fishes. Lack of
market information and over dependence on Intermediaries affects their
profitability. Hence we suggest a separate market for their locality. This can
yield a better prices and at the same time reduce the crowd in Kasimedu.

2. Government should place more boulders near shore in order to prevent

waves from coming into roadways and settlements. Boulders and mangrove
cultivation can effectively reduce coastal erosions.

3. The Government has already placed restrictions on the usage of

surukkumadivalai. However the practice is still being followed which
 provides unfair advantage to those fishermen and effectively reduce the
competition.

PROBLEMS FACED IN RESEARCH-

1. The fishermen were available only on weekdays that too only afternoon, for
enquiry. Their time of availability clashed with the availability of our team
members. Timing was a constraint.

2. Distance constraint: The field for study is far away from our places of
residence. Hence during our research we faced transportation problems.

TEAM MEMBERS-

19-USO-029-VIGNESHWARAN T

19-USO-002-LINDA LAWRENCE C

19-USO-077- NITHIN G

19-USO-069- SANKET

19-USO-017 -ANTO LEO.T

19-USO-057-JAGAN T

19-USO-001- RIYAZ WATSON

19-USO-068- ASHWIN TOPPO

Bird’s eye view of Ondikuppam in Thiruvottiyur
Fishermen sharing their opinion about the gradual development that took place in
20 years

Students asking questions regarding the Urbanization of the Ondikuppam

Group of fishermen clearing all the knots that was created during the fishing
process