National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers [NPSSFW] and Swathandra Mathyathizilali Federation (Inland) [SMTFI], invited urgent attention of the Government of Kerala to the necessity to provide immediate assistance to the hundreds of inland fisher people who have lost their livelihoods and jobs due to the recent floods in Kerala.
Inland fisher people in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts have lost a lot of fishing equipment due to the floods and have also lost their livelihood in fish vending and allied occupations. Restoration of the above infrastructure will require months of hard work and huge financial burden will be required for procuring fishing boats, nets and other tools. The Covid-19 pandemic has already severely affected the livelihood of fishing community.
NPSSFW and SMTF(I) demanded that the Government of Kerala and the Department of Fisheries should immediately intervene and provide financial assistance and equipment, including boats and nets, to protect the livelihood of inland fishing communities of the state.