Thirty-two fishing hamlets in Pazhaverkadu, or Pulicat, about 50km from Chennai, have become model villages, untouched by the raging Covid-19 pandemic. They are, however, struggling to survive. The norms have been strictly implemented and the residents have cooperated fully, said P Ethiraj, head of Arangamkuppam hamlet. When the lockdown began on March 24, fearing that they would not be able to find agents to sell their catch, the fishermen decided against putting out to sea. The common net available to the community was pledged for Rs 5 lakh. Each family was given Rs 1,000 in cash and some groceries. The fisheries department provided fishing ban subsidy of Rs 5,000 and the state government gave Rs 1,000 to each family as lockdown assistance. But this was not enough to help sustain the fishermen families, said Ethiraj. Now, most families are struggling and have been unable to bring their plight to the attention of the authorities concerned. G Rajalakshmi, president of the women’s self-help group at Goonangkuppam village under Light House panchayat, said the state government had provided for free 20kg of free rice, atta, oil, sugar and dhal to each family. But, of the 20kg rice only 5kg was raw rice and was of good quality. The rest was of very poor quality. Many complained of health problems. We have been unable to cook and eat three times a day, she said. Rajalakshmi said the villagers wanted to complain to civil supplies department authorities about the poor quality of ration items and to the fisheries department about their poor condition but no officials had visited the area because of the lockdown. Unlike the fishermen in Chennai district, most of who own fibreboats and have been able to put out to sea to catch fish, those in Pazhaverkadu have been struggling at home, Ethiraj said. Fisheries department staff and district administration officials should make a visit to the fishing hamlets in Pazhaverkadu to understand the pathetic conditions, he said.