National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers (NPSSFW) has been alarmed to receive reports of police atrocities on women fish vendors in Kerala. The police are forcibly driving away poor women fish vendors from street sides, spoiling their fish and damaging their urns and trays. Heavy fine is also being imposed on poor fish vendors.
Reports of such incidents have reached NPSSFW from Trivandrum and Paripally. If this is an indicator, many such incidents are in the offing. Kerala has more than 60,000 women fish vendors. This is high time that the Government restrains its law enforcing agencies.
The Kerala police must be sensitive to the compulsion of the women fish vendors for livelihood. In these days of pandemic, when the poor people are finding it very difficult to get a job, the women of the poor labouring families are under tremendous pressure to arrange two meals a day for their family members. Any administration sensitive to the plight of the people cannot beat up and drive away poor and helpless women fish vendors who are desperately trying to make an earning. A responsible Government has to provide its people with a living before imposing fines on them for violating Covid-19 restrictions in quest of livelihood.
In view of the above the National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers (NPSSFW) urge upon you to –
1. Instruct the Kerala Police and all law enforcing agencies in the state to immediately stop all atrocities on the women fish
vendors and allow them to continue with their livelihood activities with proper precautions for Covid-19;
2. Book all police officials responsible for atrocities perpetrated upon the poor women fish vendors and compensate the
vendors whose fish and implements have been spoiled or damaged.
3. Provide Rs.3,000/- monthly livelihood compensation support to all women fish vendors during Covid-19 lock down
period.