Sebastiao Anthony
Rodrigues
Doctoral
candidate at Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Birla
Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS), Pilani – Goa Campus,
Zuarinagar, Goa
Abstract
This
paper attempts to discuss and critically reflect on the myriad of
issues thrown up by the video documentary The
Sea of Change: Traditional Fish workers’ perception of Climate
Change. The
crisis emerging from the Global issue of Climate is affecting coastal
areas of India. Melting of Glaciers of Antarctica led to ongoing rise
of Sea Level. This gradual rise has affected coastal people specially
the traditional fisher people in most direct manner. The video
documentary has attempted to locate this alarming situation in the
complex situation of fisher people already in the vulnerable position
due to various prevailing existing factors like industrial fishing,
sand mining, industrial pollution etc. The film has been termed as
‘dusty foot film’ by its producers ‘International Collective in
Support of Fishworkers’. The film covers three important locations
where the focus is located: Andhra Coast, Pondicherry Coast on the
Eastern shoreline of India and Mumbai Coast on the Western shoreline.
The film interspersed expert interviews with the fisher people in
these three locations. While experts are given their due recognition
of identity in the form of names and designations the Fishworkers are
denied the same except on one case of ‘Simon’ from Mumbai coast.
Is this ethical way of supporting the traditional Fishworkers? The
film further arrives at the conclusion that even though the Climate
Change is destined to negatively affect traditional fisher people
they are completely out of State policy framework to put in place
mechanism to tackle the same. This is the reason perceptions of
climate change are sort for and presented. Paper presents pointers
from Goa Coast with sporadic contextualization. This is done in order
to dig out the relevance of this film for the traditional fishermen
in Goa and also to further increase support base to traditional
fisher people in India.
Key
words:
Traditional Fishing, Climate Change, Coastal Conflicts
Introduction
International
Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) has come out with
intellectual intervention in defense of Traditional Fishworkers. This
words ‘Fish workers’ has been used inter-chargeable manner with
the words ‘Fisher People’. In this paper the two words are used
with no change in meaning. The film is titled as ‘The
Sea of Change: Traditional Fish workers’ perception of Climate
Change’ and
of 26 minutes and 30 seconds duration. The film is directed by Rita
Banerji. The film also has co-director Kiran Mittal who also composed
script of this film. The film is curiously described as ‘A dusty
Foot Film’ and ICSF hold Copyright. The film is produced in 2015
and is meant to increase the support base to the traditional fisher
people. Pooja Iyengar is the Editor of this Film. The film has
sourced its research resources from various agencies such as Climate
Change and Fisheries (ICSF), the Challenged Coast of India
(PondyCAN), Marine Fish Landings in India 2013 (CMFRI), Moving Home
(Nagraj Adve) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(India) and World Ocean Review. So the film is sufficiently grounded
in research.
The
film also has narration of various fisher people attached to the
number of Organizations. The Organizations listed in this regard
includes Fishing Communities and Fishworkers Organisations of
Kakinada, Shuddhawati and Mumbai. In Kakinada the Organization is
Integrated Coastal Management. Other Organizations includes
Maharashtra Macchimar Kruti Samiti (MMKS), Satpaty Maccimar Vividh
Karyakari Sahhakari Society, The Amala Fishworkers’ Karyalaya
Sahakari Society. In addition the films also have inputs from Indian
National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).
The
Poetic Approach
Though
poetry in nature is rarely captured in the film it still welcomes the
viewers:
Alone…I
pray to nature
Alone…I
may not survive (Allenika)
The
words are poetry in the beginning and the scenes in the middle are
tumults to the core though no poet is quoted to capture those scenes
as camera was more than a Poet. The approach is significant for it
locates someone alone. Perhaps the fisherman alone, perhaps fishing
community alone; and alone prayer is offered to nature. Even before
nature could answer prayer there is already revelation: Alone…I may
not survive. So that sets the approach of the film into pace: the
battle for survival. Living is far off. The fight is from the people
on the fringes of the Indian Coast; from the communities into fishing
for many generations tossed around politically just like the waves on
the shores toss up with added power of Sea level rise. The film has
made attempt to capture these tossing ups of the communities of
traditional fisher people with probe of a camera soliciting their
views. The process is bound to have some humanizing effect as fisher
people are presented in the first person non-manipulative narrations.
The
Mapped Approach
Film
though described as dusty is pretty heavily loaded with intellectual
rigor. For the reasons of visual presentations Map of Indian
Peninsula is used for the purpose of depicting Indian Coastline with
inscribed description on it. Map point to the Arabian Sea to the West
where Goa too is located, Indian Ocean to the South and Bay of Bengal
to the East. Climate Change impact is felt in all three directions.
The films narrates that 30% of India’s population is living on the
coast. There is village on the average every 2 kms. India has 8,118
kms shoreline and it is one of the most closely populated regions of
the World. The coastal waters support almost 30% of the India’s
population through fishing. This coastline of India is home to 4
million marine fisher folks and they have their livelihoods in Sea.
The film also claims that India is second largest fishing nation of
the world with annual turnover of 3.78 million tons; in this Indian
Traditional Fishermen contribute significantly. Film leave for the
viewers enough teasers to probe as to which is the largest fishing
nation in the world and how far ahead of India in its annual turnover
and who is lagging behind India in fishing turnover in economic
sense. Film narrates that fishing provides direct employment to
large and self-sustaining community. Even though narration is fairly
rosy up to this point it confronts sudden rough weather and the power
of storms is reflected in words “reality presents contradictory
image: hash and unfair at times.”
The
Stormy Approach
The
harshness is not new to fisher people. Storms are not new to Fish
workers. Film penetrates to the rough times with an arrow of words
“traditional fishermen have always struggled against the natural
and man-made threats.” Now however there is a new threat and the
arrow of words slows down to diagnose, “the question: How far
Global Climate Change is going to affect them? How far these areas
will be able to retain residential and economic value of the coast in
the years to come?” these questions are posed in a manner of
anxiety and rightly so. Such a great threat looming all over and very
little understanding of the same with fishing communities could prove
catastrophic. These are right questions to pose. Answers are sought
with the coastal fishing communities. Film narrates that traditional
fishing communities have traditional knowledge of the sea fine tuned
over centuries can provide key links to coastal land forms and
dynamics of climate change. Film completes this triple approach route
– Poetic Approach, Mapped Approach and The stormy Approach just in
the beginning 2 minutes and 23 seconds before the title of the film
‘The Sea of Change: Traditional Fishworkers’ perception of
Climate Change’ appears.
With
Smiles from Andhra Coast
The
film then begins actual traverses on the Indian Coast beginning from
Andhra Pradesh facing Bay of Bengal. The scene begins with a smiling
female fish worker smiling to the camera from her sit in three
wheeler yellow coloured auto rickshaw with word in Red ‘JESUS’
picking up pace on the road. As the rickshaw comes closer to the
camera the smiling face of this nameless woman is complimented by
waving of hands as if to transmit warm vibrations in spite of looming
Global Climate Crisis. It presented the picture of the beach that
resembles so much to the Morjim beach two decades ago when tourism
was not prevalent there in North Goa. Actually we are told in the
film it is Kakinada beach in Andhra Pradesh. And the story of Andhra
Pradesh Coast begins like rain drops of the first shower of the
summer: Andhra Pradesh has 900 kilometers of Coastline. It has
8,70,000 fishers in traditional fishing communities. Camera then
moves on the edge of the Kakinada Beach and provokes interactions
with the coastal communities and interviewing them on any change they
might have noticed over the period of time.
Driving
along retired stoned wall on a stretch of beach conversation is
picked up with a driver of the vehicle without disclosing his name
and identity. The man at the wheel explains that the road is remade
three times because Sea kept coming in slowly. Fishing boats were
captured by camera as being parked on the roadside just like cars.
Then camera is out on the beach amongst the fisher people and the
interactions to solicit their perception on Climate Change begins
with English subtitles to those who are not able to follow the
language of fisher people.
The
Climate Crisis
Climate
Change is more palatable pill to swallow in a wrapped two words. The
explorations from this film have left hardly any doubt that what we
are actually confronting is the Climate Crisis if not Climate
Warfare. Fisher People of Andhra Coast have been quoted fairly
exhaustively in the film. “We have been here for 50 years and the
Sea has been eroding the Coast. There were beaches here, we would use
nets. Fish landing was in large quantities, beaches were fish drying
areas. When we were small, the sea used to be way ahead.” What this
fisherman wants to convey from his memory is self explanatory. Now
female fish worker -without name on screen speaks up “No, I haven’t
seen any changes; just the sea has quietly came closer and closer.
Earlier the sea was 20 km away, now it is at 2 km. earlier there were
only 4 storms in a year, now a days, we get about 10 storms in a
year.” Then another fisherman expresses “Our catch was much
bigger 10-20 years ago, now the catch is very less.” The
ramifications of the Climate Crisis are captured in these first
person narrations.
The
film commentary continues with a back voice. “Coast is an interface
between the Land, Ocean and Atmosphere, and is shaped as much by the
natural process as human influences. Nearly 40% of India’s
coastline consists of vital stretches of sandy beaches. They are
pertaining to the life of traditional fish workers. They are secure
extension of village where Fish workers land, lower their fish, trade
and dry the fish and mend its nets. For livelihood support beaches
are central to the life of fishermen in social cultural context. For
the fish worker life without beach is not imaginable.” With these
interesting clues films moves ahead and gets two smiling girls with
basket full of fish mounted on their heads walk by.
And
now comes the turn of an expert to intersperse in the discussion. The
first one is Satish Shenoy, INOIS, Hyderabad. He is quoted “Now
because of monsoon there is some erosion there. And now erosion has
come little inside. We make hue and cry dump some stones there, and
those stones are preventing the beach to come back. And it becomes
the area of permanent erosion. So it adds to the vulnerability due to
anthropogenic intervention.” After the expert comments there is
blackout on the screen. The crisis is symbolically depicted well.
Solution turned into a problem. One is reminded of call of the fisher
people of khareawaddo, Vasco to put up break water and even been
agreed and promised by local MLA Milind Naik. One may ask whether
this is going to be additional anthropogenic intervention further
pushing fishing communities towards vulnerability due to wrong
demands.
Enter
Uppada
Screen
returns and we find ourselves watching another beach in Andhra
Pradesh: Uppada. We are given insights into comparative history: This
is one of the first villages to experience severe shoreline
degradation. Then immediately a picture of stoned beach confronts our
eyes. One is left to wonder as what is the crime committed by this
Uppada beach for it getting stoned. We are led to further deeper
intimate reality of the sagacity of this beach: formerly some 30
years back, it had a wide beach of up to one and half kilometer. This
village - we are informed via narration – is for beach landing
operations; today we are not seeing traces of sand here. During last
ten years, this beach is completely eroded. Half the village is lost
and half the village relocated somewhere.
Both
the villages – Kakinada and Uppada certain common observations were
made by the villagers. Narration records “It is noticed by
Fishworkers of Kakinada and Uppada that there were destruction in
physical and biological environment of shoreline. Tracts of beaches
are all inundated by the Sea.” This is the reason the film is
titled as Sea
of Change.
Cultural and Spiritual life of the communities is often based on
physical and biological environment even though it has not been the
subject focus of this film but there is pointer in the film in this
direction that can be detected by careful listening ear.
Sea
Level Rise projections
Next
film introduces an expert to the viewers. He is E. Vivekananda, a
retired Principal Scientist, CMPR Chennai. Perhaps it is assumed by
the Film that every one viewing the film is familiar with
abbreviation CMRI or the team that made this film believes that it is
better to conceal the full abbreviation of CMRI. Nowhere in the film
is it explained as to what these four alphabets stand for.
Vivekananda speaks “We have the clear map of Sea level rise. One
Millimeter Sea level rise every year is trivial matter for public but
it is very serious. Because one millimeter rise in Sea level will
flood at least 10 or 15 kilometer area near the coastline. The
cyclones have also pushed these communities into internal areas.”
‘We’ of Vivekananda statement refers to the scientists and not
the affected public. And this is very serious as he admits. And he
has clear map of the oncoming climate change and looking at the
visual of the maps on his computer screen as captured in the film
looks that the rainbow lines of coastal disruption are already marked
out and those people marked out are not informed about it. This
approach clearly transforms the view of Climate Change into Climate
Warfare. The arrogance of scientific community is so clearly
decipherable from Vivekananda statement here. There is a silver
lining here too and that is the films has recorded his statements and
circulating amongst wide range of people so that Scientific community
can be held accountable to share the projections from their board
rooms rather rapidly with public and Public Organizations seriously
looking at Climate Crisis issues. Two issues are visible from his
statement that we need to take note here: Sea level rise leading to
flooding of the land and the cyclones pushing communities into
interior areas.
Ferocious
Cyclones
Film
at this juncture temporarily departs from the experts and allows
village people speak. No name of any of the villagers is mentioned
only faces and the voices are made visible and audible. There is a
sharp contrast in the way film has gone about presenting experts with
full honor and respect by disclosing their complete name, surname and
designation. Villagers are not presented in this manner. They are
stripped off their names and every thing else that come with it.
Villagers narrate their perception of cyclones of recent times “The
cyclones were not as horrible as nowadays. There used to be 2 or 3 in
a year, now there are continues, strong cyclones. The winds which
flow earlier were balanced and favorable.” At this point film
throws up four important issues of alarm: Increased Ferocity of
Cyclones and Winds, increased erosion, loss of beaches, and
Livelihoods in danger. All the four issues thrown up here are very
dangerous for coastal people of India. After enumerating the four
issues the film asks “The question is how rapidly and to what
extend Climate Change will impact our Seas?” This way of
questioning is end centered approach to climate crisis. The method of
rising questions has to be changed. The effective question to ask
here is when will the world would start de-industrializing, shut down
its nuclear and thermal power plants and cease the warming up of
planet earth? There is no thinking done on these lines as a result
debate is moving in very depressing moment of letting the those truly
responsible for global climate crisis go scot free. If the right
questions like this were raised then there would have been massive
mobilization in India and pressure mounted on those responsible to
heat up the earth that is melting Antarctica’s ice. Several letters
of protests would have been sent to the Embassies of so many
countries engaging in heating up the planet Earth.
Four-fold
attack on Coast
The
film then sends out lone captions one by one four times. This is
perhaps done after due filtering of wider issues surrounding Indian
coast. The first danger presented as increased ferocity of cyclones
and winds. The word ‘winds’ is covered with extraordinary
significance of danger with red color fonts in the film. The second
danger presented is increased erosions. The third danger is loss of
Beaches. The fourth attack presented is livelihoods in danger. The
assumption is no longer now whether there is change in climate or
not. “The question is how rapidly and to what extend Climate Change
will impact our seas” interrogation continues. Then the dusty film
transcends national boundary and gets into global perspective of
Climate Crisis with the tool of World Map. Then commentary begins:
‘Studies have indicated that we have lost 40% of the ice cover
since 1980’s leading to increase in global temperatures. Film
presents dusk on eroded beach and commentary continues: Sea levels
world wide has witnessed rise by 3.5 millimeters annually since
1990s’. The focus now shifts on Antarctica on the map of Globe. A
video of melting glaciers of Antarctica and commentary continues:
‘This will result in flooding of low-lying areas of coastline.
There may be increase in intensity and frequency of cyclones in
future’. Film has still not taken definitive stance on likelihood
of increase in intensity and frequency of cyclones in future and is
marked with ‘may be’. That marks recognition of unpredictability
of whether conditions and its acknowledgement by the Film.
Film
cites the India Country Study prepared in 1995 by Ministry of
Environment and Forest that presents likely reality of rise in Sea
level could put 7.1 million people into displacement. Film then draws
its own conclusion: ‘It could push traditional fishing communities
to the fringes of survival’. This is a most likely scene of the
future considering that coastal communities are hardly grappling with
the Climate Crisis issues and when it actually hits it may be too
late to turn around the tide. Film assesses current state of India’s
beaches with the support of a recent study that is not named yet its
findings presented. It claims “according to recent report 1,500 kms
of beach in India is eroded to various degrees. This is almost 25% of
India’s shoreline”. One wonders as when such a massive claims are
made what is the reason for which study has been kept without naming
thereby causing one of the major breaches of the credibility of this
film that is otherwise grounded in research. Erosion of 1,500 kms of
beach on India’s shoreline is attributed to various factors such as
Thermal Power Plants, Ports, Harbours, Sea Walls, Breakwaters and
Sand mining. Climate Crisis can find these already existing factors
as an appetizer in order to place its prey as the Sea Water level
rises and cyclones increase in intensity and frequency.
Ponderings
based on Puducherry coast
Film
now gets its focus on Puducherry, a Union Territory that was earlier
known as Pondicherry was a French colony in India on the East coast
of India like Goa that was Portuguese Colony on the West Coast of
India. Coastal Management Consultant associated with an organization
PondyCAN Aurofilio Schiawina is interviewed here. He is presented
saying “We at Puducherry has been documenting the change in
Pondicherry and neighboring Tamil Nadu coast. One thing that is
distinct is shoreline is changing due to man made factors. Harbour
was built in 1989. Coastline changed; harbor blocked sand. There is
no renewal of sand. Erosion knows no boundary. It does not know that
it has stop at Ponycherry boundary and that it cannot move into
neighboring state” Maps and data is shown existing on the laptop
screen in the office of Aurofilio Schiawina. There is hardly anything
to dispute with his findings. The point that Schiawina is making is
that construction of Harbour in 1989 has created blockade for the
flow of sand on the entire stretch of Tamil Nadu Coast. The sand was
blocked from moving from one side of the Harbour to the next. This
led to the disruptive erosion on the coast of Pondicherry and part of
Tamilnadu.
Immediately
Probir Banerjee, President of PondyCAN appears on screen to speak out
“Our study has shown that erosion has been taking place at the rate
of more than one meter per day just in Pondicherry coastline of 24
kms.” The commentary then continues “One can imagine the extend
of land loss taking place all over the Indian Coast.” Probir
Banerjee’s findings points to a type of reality that indicate
India’s coast is on fire and is losing land for Sea level rise at
the rate of more than one meter per day. And yet there is hardly any
deeper level awareness amongst public. This film is a welcome step to
awaken public consciousness into action on time.
Probir
Banerjee is further quoted pointing that “Every State is busy
granting permissions for the constructions of Ports and Harbors
without taking national perspective on board with regard to demand
for Ports. Unless you match the existing land with various demands
you cannot get right picture”. This is a very important input to
the film. Further it may be added that expansion of existing Ports
and setting up of Marinas is also a matter of deep concern in Indian
coast as evident from the State of Goa. These developments are taking
place not because of local demands but global demands of super rich
and International military-industrial-political complex leading to
backward insertion of State of Goa into Global War Economy with Goa
designating as Rest And Recreation (R-N-R) destination of
International warships.
Onto
Mumbai Fishing Coast
After
the Eastern Coast film then shifts its focus on the West coast of
India. It focus is largely Maharashtra coast with Mumbai that has
been historically important city. Film narrates that “Mumbai has 32
fishing villages”. After this statement of survey the next
statement is of crisis: “India’s largest slum Dharavi is located
in Koli fishing village. Fishing community in Mumbai has been pushed
to the fringe by Real Estate Invasion, Pollution and Shrinking of
their areas. There is added threat of Climate Change”. Dr.V.V.Singh
Principal Scientist, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute,
Mumbai is introduced in the film. He has mapped the Mumbai Coast
divided the coast into three colors depending on the impact of Sea
level rise. The three color codes used are Red, Blue and White.
Next
presented is the footage of fisher people meeting with the
authorities at Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC). It has been
narrated that various fishing villages are waging their struggle for
space. And from the one fisher delegate tell the authorities “There
are over two lakh fish workers in Mumbai. BMC has turned our Seas
into dumping yards.” Another fish worker speaks out on reality “In
Sion, Koliwada land was given to them to resettle and another piece
of land for creating educational institutions but nothing was built”.
Third fish worker without name - as per the dominant practice
followed in this film - speaks out “People encroach on our land,
destroy our ecology and livelihoods and make bogus complaints about
us and demolish our houses.” The fourth fish worker spoke out “We
are not against development but you should win our trust when you do
development.” So here we have mockery of all the government
propaganda of inclusive development. The reality of promise and the
betrayal is not new anywhere in the country. This has been common
practice followed de
facto.
The point is how to launch sufficient impetus to change this thought
pattern and action pattern to move on with collective program to
transcend all these blocks.
Anil
Choudary, Advisor, Satpati Macchimar Vividh Karyakari Sahakar Society
Ltd is presented in the film. Satpati struggles with developmental
threats already as has been disclosed by Anil Choudary. “Stonewall
was made 10 years back when there was erosion due to rise in Sea
water. You can see next to stonewall how much has eroded from here.
Almost 50 feet to 60 feet has eroded. From June to October the
direction of the waves changes, and eroded sand gets into the creek.”
The pictures of eroded shores are included in film and also the
growth of mangroves on the accumulated sand. Anil Choudary observes
again, “25 years back there were no mangroves here and it has now
spread another 500 meters.” This is an interesting issue on sand
erosion and the history of mangrove growth. In Goa ecological history
of Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary also has its origin in abandonment of
agriculture in reclaimed lands in Mondovi River. Abandonment of
agriculture gave rise to mangroves. Thick growth of mangroves
gradually attracted birds. Forest department then declared it as Bird
Sanctuary few decades ago.
Then
Dr.V.V.Singh Principal Scientist, Central Marine Fisheries Research
Institute, Mumbai comes back second time with a pertinent
observation, “There is natural as well as man made sediment flow
which affect the coastline changes.” These changes then lay initial
conditions for intense coastal crisis.
Micro
observations from the fisher peoples’ organization intersperses
here with activist critical input. Ujjwala J. Patil, Maharashtra
Machimar Kruti Samitti is interviewed to get the grasp of happenings
on ground. She spoke in Marathi facilitated by English subtitles.
“Lots of fish used to be dried here but because of erosion, the
sand has gone into the Sea. The next step will be when all these
houses will get washed away too.”
The
film discloses that release of waste from industry and consumer goods
creates pollution as they eventually flows into Ocean. Film then
moves into the world of statistics. It discloses that 250 million
people live close to coastal areas in India. 5.5 million liters of
waste water is released into the Sea every day. This leads to
pollution of coastal ecosystem a real menace.
Beach
scene returns to the film so often. This time three fishermen are on
the fishing boat answering to the camera. “All waste in Mumbai is
dumped by Municipality near the Sea. All this flows into the Sea and
harms our nets.” There are vivid pictures of plastic garbage
floating in the Sea. The next question shot at fishermen “How much
waste?” the Answer comes from all three “Our boats are filled by
waste and our whole day is spent in separating waste from the
fishes.” Woman is shown separating waste from the fish spread on
land. Fishermen point out the spoil fish “We put 3 to 4 nets and
get very little fish. See, this is our last night catch, all the fish
has turned black, has got spoiled. See this prawn, its all spoiled.”
Even though this spoilage is taking place on daily basis there is no
effective mechanism put in place with collaborating researchers or if
there are such research collaborations it has not been reported in
the film. This is an area that needs follow up post film scenario.
Next
on the screen is Kiran Koli, Chairperson, Mumbai Unit of Maharashtra
Macchimar Kriti Samitti “Water up to 10 nautical miles has been
polluted. There is no ban on plastic here.” There is hardly any ban
even on land. Very few places that is strictly following ban on
plastic is Sikkim state of India that has banned plastics in its
capital Gangtok. But is ban on plastics in Arabian Sea is a solution?
If it is so then how does one enforce it? Or is ban on plastic
production is better option? We need to wonder and come to conclusion
very soon. And these wonderings needs to be with coastal people
engaged in fishing as equally responsible partners. And this exercise
needs to be carried on across Indian coast. The question is as to
from where the leadership for this would come about?
Fisherman
then speaks about erosion and sedimentation on the coast, “Earlier
all our boats were kept here on the shore. Now we are unable to keep
our boats here”. Parking of fishermen boast is does not bother as
urgency for the State. While the anticipated parking space for
pleasure boats of the Super rich has led Murmagao Port Trust (MPT),
Goa to sign two lease deeds on October 12 and 14 both in 2010 to set
up marinas in Zuari River which are prime fishing spaces of the local
fishermen. It is not that state cannot take necessary steps to solve
problems of coastal people; the point is that it is not pro-active on
it. In fact in its approach it is anti-coastal people as evident from
now scrapped Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) law that had provisions
that could lead to real estate invasion of coast and even the Seas.
The resistance was possible largely due to national mobilization of
coastal people.
“The
other thing is illegal sand mining going in this place” Points out
nameless fisherman standing on the beach that has developed depth
resembling well in the process of being dug. Besides illegal sand
mining there is also “an increase of Sea level is also a reason for
sand erosion here.” So there are multiple reasons already in place
that is supplementing Global Climate crisis.
Women
and threatened fishing Professions
“Now
there is no space, so we don’t get any place to dry the fishes. Due
to this, we are affected and the profession of our women has been
destroyed.” If profession of women gets destroyed like this it
could have severe consequences for the entire family and society for
it denies women respect and dignity as well. There are scenes where
the fish drying is done by hanging fish on the wooden sticks whereas
traditional fish drying practice was to dry fish on the sand on
beach. Film observes “economy of fishing families are affected
negatively due to these reasons.”
Ujjwala
J. Patil, Maharashtra Machimar Kruti Samitti throws further light on
the theme “From the time fish reaches the landing centre women take
over the work. They segregate the fish, then dry it otherwise fish
will get spoilt. They then will go to market and sell it.” One
nameless female fish worker provides her perception here “Now there
is less water in the Ocean, less fish. So if anything happens to our
kids or if they are sick then who will look after them? Mosquitoes
here have increased in this area and no one protects us in this
condition.” This woman is concerned about not just about herself
but also about her children, the next generation, and the future. It
is her perception that water in the Ocean is less now. The challenge
here is how to help her understand complex global dynamics of climate
crisis and how she and her future has been jeopardized to do
exploitative industrial production pattern pushing her and her
community to the fringes. It is challenging that women like her to
engage with in a discourse that will turn around her perception of
‘Ocean having less water now so less fish’ and transform into an
agents of change. Hopefully public screening of this film in her
village and other villages would trigger off necessary process.
Only
if fishers were educated
Another
fish worker shares his perception in the film “Yes, lots has
changed in whether. There are stronger winds, there is rain also.”
Film now gets into critical probe and gets interesting reply on cause
of poor understanding of the fishermen “Because they are not well
educated, they don’t understand, nor have they ever heard of
‘Climate Change’. They will only say ‘We just put our fish for
drying and suddenly it started to rain!’ Who is responsible for
keeping fishermen uneducated after 68 years of transfer of power from
British rulers to Indian rulers? What the political parties have been
doing after getting their votes from these fisher people for more
than half century? The fruit of the Independence of India in 1947 is
uneducated fisher people of its coast. It has been more like Law of
Manu where education is denied to Shudras
(slaves). Yet fishermen has vast knowledge accumulations over past so
many generations, knowledge of fish, waves, currents, winds,
torrents, storms, shore and diverse interactions on it.
One
more Fisherman explains the scandal in Sea “Most probably there is
scarcity of fish in the Ocean. So when boats go in nearby areas they
don’t find any fish there. So the fisher folks are now sitting idle
in their homes.” So when people sit idle most probable they will be
gripped with depressions and frustrations. This may result in
suicides or path of revolutions. Indian State is not scared of
suicides as evident from farmers’ suicides in different parts of
India like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra over past few decades.
However Indian State is worried on politicization of masses much
beyond fishermen and is putting in place surveillance mechanism like
Aadhaar Card, Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), High Security Number
Plates, High Security systems with CCTV cameras in Schools, Beaches,
Public Transport systems like Newly introduced batch of Kadamba buses
in Goa, High surveillance security systems called smart cities, The
Human DNA Profile Bill 2015 pending in Parliament and so many other
repressive mechanisms including annual 15 lakhs killing of children
in Indian that are camouflaged as deaths of children of ST, SC and
OBC emanating from malnutrition.
So
the cycle that is presented in the film is ‘Less Catch’ results
in ‘Low Income’. Few fish species like White Fish, Hilsa Toil,
Pellone, Milkshark and Sawfish are listed as vanished species.
Fisherman then presented speaking on this topic, “The fishes which
are not there nowadays are Hilsa, Salmon, Silver bar Fish”. Anther
fishermen then interspersed “Silver bar fish is also not seen
nowadays: very rarely seen, like they don’t exist anymore”. And
yet one more fisherman quips to confirm “So many fishes have either
vanished or depleted. New Fish species has come about due to Climatic
Condition.” Still fourth nameless fisherman is included to further
hammer the point of fish depletion in the film “There are lots of
changes in this profession; earlier we used to return in 3-4 days,
now we return in 10-12 days, sometimes even 15 days. New fishes are
present at large distance.”
Irreversible
decline
Film
observes “irreversible decline of Indian Coast due to developmental
activities as well as Climate Change processes…Communities that
rely on natural resources are always vulnerable more so in future
when Climate Change index is expected to intensify”. Both these
statements are true. However film exclude tourism related invasion of
Indian coast to set up starred hotels, Golf Courses, Marinas, etc by
moneyed interests. This form of development is starkly visible in the
State of Goa. There are also even more dangerous reports setting up
nuclear power plants on coasts of India and release of nuclear waste
in Arabian Sea. Goa is sandwiched between two nuclear power Plants
one in North at Jaitapur, Maharshtra and another at South at Karwar.
Absence of discussions of these aspects is very dangerous.
Film
raises important question: Can Climate Change be viewed as stand
alone issue isolated from already existing issues in fisheries
sector? Dr.V.V.Singh Principal Scientist, Central Marine Fisheries
Research Institute, Mumbai is summoned yet again. He seeks to answer
“Maximum impact is by overfishing, followed by pollution, habitat
degradation, and Climatic Change is last one. In the years to come
Climate Change is going to be major problem to tackle it. Right now
we do not have quick-fix solutions for it.”
Then
one nameless fisherman speaks to camera with good deal of confidence
“We fishermen protect this whole coastline and government must be
thankful to us.” Only if this fisherman knew the origin of the word
‘government’ he would have different take. It is clear that no
one explained to him that the word ‘Government’ has its origin in
two Latin words ‘Guverno’
that mean ‘to control’ and ‘Mentis’
that means ‘mind’, and Government therefore in most true sense is
mechanism for mind control.
Probir
Banerjee, President of PondyCAN makes a comeback after a gap with
precise comment “Once ecology is damaged, how you reverse the
process – livelihoods have been lost and People have been
displaced. What happens to those people? How do you, you may talk of
rehabilitation, you may talk of compensation, what happens to People?
They become refugees, Environmental Refugees.” Banerjee’s
statement is true not only for coast but also for Goa’s hinterland
open cast mining that has reduced Goa into land of ecological
refugees.
Film
then discusses government report ‘National Action Plan 2008’ that
outlines existing and future mitigation and adaptation program. “It
does not specifically address problems of Indian Coastal system. The
Technical issues of Climate Change received great attention while
socio-economic concerns remained largely unaddressed”.
Satish
Shenoy, INOIS, Hyderabad comments on current state of affairs “Right
now all studies are at government level or policy level. I don’t
think we are penetrating down to fish workers but we have to develop
that mechanism”. The prevailing notion as evident from Shenoy’s
comment is hierarchical: Scientists are up and Fishermen are down.
One is reminded of the Brahmanical law of Manu and its hierarchical
gradation of people and privileges.
Dr.V.V.Singh
Principal Scientist, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute,
Mumbai is more respectful of fisher people. He comments “Fishermen
has great knowledge. Any mitigation or rehabilitation of fishermen
cannot be done without support, co-operation and active involvement”.
From his comment rehabilitation is inevitable. So fishermen all over
Indian coast had to find new homes. The search must start now. Has it
started? In Goa this is not the case. On the contrary high altitude
plateaus are dished out to various avoidable interests like Mopa for
new Greenfield Airport, Golf Course cum luxury hotels in Tiracol,
Handing over of Quittol plateau to Indian Air force, Plateaus has
also been handed over for industrial estates, IT parks, Mining, SEZ
etc. Where Goa’s coastal people going to be rehabilitated? Goa has
coastline of 105 kms.
Now
there is lone fish worker in film with name ‘Simon’ from Mumbai
and yet without surname speaks out “We see weather and can predict.
If it will be stormy or not when we go out; we can predict to a
certain degree”.
Ujjwala
J. Patil, Maharashtra Machimar Kruti Samitti expands the scope far
beyond fish workers “Fishing does not just feed only the fishermen,
it feeds many more”. Probir Banerjee, President of PondyCAN
attempts to plunge into future for Fishermen “What will fishermen
do next, Can they became masons, carpenters or whatever?” The
elderly female fish worker proves Probir Bannerjee has probed
correctly. She comments “The biggest thing is, what will the next
generation do?” This film advocate that attention be given to
traditional fishing before Climate Change becomes anther area of
concern. Film observes that in addition to overfishing, pollution,
habitat degradation and competing interests from industry push
towards inundation of coastline will increase vulnerability of
traditional fishermen.
Preserve
and Celebrate
This
dusty film has fought all the temptation to be the film of doom and
despair but instead has come to a rather surprising conclusion. Its
concluding statement is full of hope and even calls for celebration.
Film has this very remarkable concluding comment “Traditional
Fishermen in One Billion population country to have four million
plus fishing community that sustains itself by low footprints,
traditional yet renewable reserves; it is a treasure that needs to be
preserved and celebrated.” This conclusion deserves to be discussed
for it is potent with diverse possibilities for Indian Coast and
needs further extrapolation. The beauty of this film is that in spite
of keeping fisher people nameless it still succeeds in generating
waves of hope, an igniting of imagination and direct intervention on
the Indian Coast. The film hints at celebration of life on coast that
also includes various fishing related occupations and pre-occupations
combine. This call to celebrate is single most powerful strength of
this film that could trigger off something big. It calls to reverse
our in-fashion understanding of traditional as essentially bad and
backward. The film has given recognition and validity to what is
known as traditional fishing and its practitioners. For intellectuals
this conclusion has posed hue challenge to explain to the traditional
fishing community the meaning of the word ‘footprints’. Film is
excellent recipe for People-Intellectual collaboration.
Acknowledgements:
Rayson
K. Alex, who suggested and shared this film with me,
Maggie
Silveira, my wife who helped me to follow through this paper.