Exact Flaws at Honnavar Port affairs at Kasarkod

 

To,

The Member Secretary

State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Karnataka

Room No. 706, 7TH Floor, 4th Gate, M.S Building, 

Bangalore-560001, Karnataka

Email: msseiaakarnataka@gmail.com 

7th October 2025

Sub: Representation pursuant to the Hon’ble Supreme Court order in Civil Appeal No. 11021/2025 dated 8th September 2025 on M/s Honnavar Port Pvt Ltd

Reference: 

1. Representation dated 18th December 2024 to your office by ‘Karvali Menugarar Karmika Sanga’ & 3 others;

2. The Hon’ble Supreme Court order in Civil Appeal No. 11021/2025 dated 8th September 2025

Respected Sir,

It is respectfully submitted that on 8th September 2025, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in Civil Appeal No. 11021/2025 (Karvali Menugarar Karmika Sanga v. SEIAA & Anr), was pleased to hold that “it is well open to the appellant to approach the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, as law so provides”, when hearing the claim of the Appellant that they have not been recognised as stakeholders and hence their grievances have not been heard, or factored in. A copy of the Hon’ble SC order is annexed as Annexure–1.

It is pertinent to state that, owing to the decision of your office to exempt the requirement of public hearing at the stage of issuance of the Terms of Reference (ToR) on 12th August 2024, the fisherfolk community has been denied its rightful opportunity to raise objections and concerns with respect to the proposed Honnavar Port. This denial was further compounded when a fresh public hearing was not conducted at the stage of issuance of the Environmental Clearance dated 31st December 2024.

It may be recalled that the affected fisherfolk along with civil society representatives had, by way of a representation dated 18th December 2024, already placed on record their specific concerns regarding the impacts of the port and its allied infrastructure. However, till date, no response has been received to the said representation. A copy of the 18th December 2024 representation is annexed as Annexure-2.

Be that as it may, and in continuation of our earlier submissions, and in compliance of the Order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court , we now seek to place before your office serious concerns and material discrepancies relating to the port project and its allied infrastructure, which directly affect the lives and livelihood of the Kasarkod fisherfolk community.

Misrepresentation of Kasarkod Fishing Port as ‘Fish Landing Centre’ in CZMP Map No. 25: It is submitted that the existing Kasarkod Fishing Port, situated in Kasarkod village on the left banks of the Sharavathi river, has been erroneously shown as a ‘Fish Landing Centre’ in the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) Map No. 25. A copy of CZMP Map No. 25 is annexed as Annexure-3. 

In contrast, the small fish landing area at Honnavar side (on the right bank of Sharavathi river) has been incorrectly demarcated as a ‘Fishing Port’. 

Information obtained under RTI confirms that, by Government Order No. AHF 51 SFS 2015, Bangalore, dated 15th September 2016, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, in exercise of its powers under Section 2(g) of the Karnataka Marine Fisheries (Regulation) Act, 1986, has formally declared Kasarkod Harbour, Honnavar, as a ‘Fishing Port’.

Furthermore, the Government Order dated 15th September 2016 clarifies that no ‘Fish Landing Centre’ exists in Honnavar Taluk. Therefore, the current CZMP demarcation is factually inaccurate and contrary to the official Government notification. 

It is pertinent to highlight that the CZMP Maps for the State of Karnataka prepared under CRZ Notification 2019 suffers from various shortcomings. To name a few- misrepresentation of existing fishing infrastructure, non-demarcation of fisher folk houses and coastal commons, non-demarcation of Kasarkod as Turtle nesting beach, demarcation of Port Limits covering our properties without consultation, etc. 

It is pertinent to highlight that as per Para 6 (vi) of the CRZ Notification, 2019 the State has the power to revisit the CZMP maps. The highlighted discrepancies is reason enough for such a revision.  

A copy of the RTI response inclusive of Government Order No. AHF 51 SFS 2015, Bangalore, dated 15th September 2016 is annexed as Annexure-4. 

The alignment and width of the proposed port connectivity road have undergone significant changes since the Public Hearing conducted on 27th January 2012: As per the EIA Report submitted in 2012 for obtaining Environmental Clearance, the connectivity road was proposed by expanding the existing single-lane road along the shoreline, running parallel to the coast for approximately 4 km from the project site through Kasarkod village up to National Highway-66, with a proposed width of 25 metres.

In contrast, the EIA Report submitted in 2024 now proposes an entirely different alignment. The connectivity road is planned parallel to the existing road but at an offset distance of about 100 metres, with a reduced total length of 2.58 km from NH-66 to the project site, and an increased width of 30 metres.

Further, a survey conducted in February 2025 was specifically intended to identify and demarcate households and community property within 35 metres from the High Water Mark that would be directly impacted by this revised alignment.

It is evident that there has been a substantial change in the material particulars relating to the alignment, length, and width of the port connectivity road passing through the sea shore of Kasarkod village. These alterations, introduced after the Public Hearing of 2012, constitute significant deviations that were never placed before the affected communities for consultation.

Survey of Fisherfolk Properties Impacted by 35m Wide Road Conducted in Secrecy (February 2025): It has come to light, through information obtained under the Right to Information Act from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Karwar, that a survey of fisherfolk properties falling within 35 metres of the High Water Mark was completed on 26th February 2025 and the report on the same was circulated between various Government Department by 21st May 2025. However, this report has neither been made available to the Kasarkod Gram Panchayat nor shared with the fishing unions and affected fisherfolk whose properties and livelihoods stand to be directly impacted by the proposed port access road.

It is further submitted that the survey grossly underestimates the number of infrastructures and fishing-related sheds that will be lost due to the construction of the 35-metre-wide road. RTI response dated 1st August from Deputy Commissioner, Karwar is hereto marked and annexed as Annexure-5. 

Omission of Kasarkod Village from the List of Impacted Fishing Villages in the EIA Report

It is submitted that the EIA Report (Chapter 3: Description of Environment, Table 3-35) lists 17 fishing villages along with details on the number of families, traditional fishermen families, BPL families, and fisherfolk population, purportedly sourced from the CMFRI Fishery Census Handbook 2016 for Karnataka State.

However, the details pertaining to Kasarkod village, where the proposed port project is located, have been entirely omitted in the report submitted by HPPL.

As per the CMFRI Fishery Census Handbook (2016), Kasarkod village comprises 752 fishermen families, including 719 traditional fishermen families, 696 BPL families, and a total fisherfolk population of 3,736.

It is further significant to highlight that Kasarkod village hosts the largest fisherfolk population in the entire Honnavar Taluk. The deliberate exclusion of this vital data renders the EIA report incomplete, misleading, and in violation of the requirement to present a true and comprehensive picture of the project’s social and livelihood impacts.

The report in its entirety can be accessed at the link below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1V-GuQPbgU0jcjtgiSU651xxX5GJfB-i7?usp=sharing

 

Non-disclosure on Rehabilitation and Resettlement that it ought to arise from the road and rail connectivity: It is submitted that the proposed 2.58 km long road and 8.5 km railway network is aligned through the coastal village of Kasarkod which as per 2016 data is inhabited by 752 fisherfolk families and has a total population of 3,736 individuals. It is submitted that all these fisherfolk families in Kasarkod village were granted land by the Government of Karnataka in 1979 and were rehabilitated from flood affected village of Mallukurva. Since then, they have inhabiting on the same land and has been paying taxes and levies to the Government.  

The EIA report submitted by HPPL fails to acknowledge the existence of such a huge fisherfolk population in the nearest vicinity of the project and makes no provision for their rehabilitation and resettlement. 

In fact, Chapter 7 of the EIA report under Table 7-1: Public Hearing Action Plan, responding to a specific objection raised during the PH about the land acquisition, the proponent vehemently denies the requirement of private land acquisition and requirement of rehabilitation. Notably, the Project Engineer of the Project Proponent has himself publicly stated that 101 structures are falling on the 35 meter road being planned to be built along with the port, which indicates that there is need for rehabilitation.

Provision of Turtle Conservation Plan: The EIA Report refers to a Turtle Conservation Plan in Appendix Q, which has not been made available on the Parivesh Portal. Accordingly, it is requested if a copy of the said Turtle Conservation Plan can be shared with the undersigned.

In light of the above, it is respectfully submitted that the Honnavar Port project suffers from serious procedural lapses, misrepresentations, and material omissions that strike at the root of its validity under the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), 2006 framework and the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019. The denial of public hearing, the misclassification of fishing infrastructure in the CZMP, the omission of Kasarkod village and its large fisherfolk population from the EIA, the non-disclosure of rehabilitation and resettlement obligations, and the secretive and inaccurate survey of properties cumulatively demonstrate a failure to uphold the principles of transparency, natural justice, and participatory decision-making mandated under law.

Given the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order dated 8th September 2025, affirming our right to approach this Authority, we humbly request that the SEIAA:

Reconsider and review the Environmental Clearance granted to M/s Honnavar Port Pvt Ltd on 31st December 2024, in light of the discrepancies and omissions detailed herein;

Direct a fresh and comprehensive assessment, including mandatory public hearing, with full participation of the fisherfolk of Kasarkod and other affected villages;

Ensure a transparent re-survey of properties and infrastructures affected by the proposed 35-metre-wide port access road, with prior notice to and participation of the Kasarkod Gram Panchayat and the fishing unions; and

Take all further steps necessary to safeguard the rights, livelihoods, and environment of the Kasarkod fisherfolk community.

We, the affected fisherfolk and their union, therefore pray that this Authority act in the spirit of fairness and legality to ensure that the Honnavar Port project does not proceed at the cost of our community’s survival and the fragile coastal ecology.

Respectfully,

          Sd/-

(Rajesh Govind Tandel)

President, Karvali Menugarar Karmika Sanga 

Copy marked to:

The Additional Chief Secretary 

Government of Karnataka, 

Forest, Ecology & Environment Department, 

M.S.Building, Dr.Ambedkar Veedhi, Bangalore – 560 001

Email: prs-fee@karnataka.gov.in 

Director of Ports & Member (Maritime & IWT Operations)

Directorate of Ports & IWT, Baithkol, Karwar

Email: directoratep@gmail.com 

Directorate of Fisheries Government of Karnataka

3RD FLOOR, TOWER Dr, PODIUM BLOCK, 

Vishweshwaraiah Rd, Ambedkar Veedhi, Vasanth Nagar, 

Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001

Email: dfkamataka@rediffmail.com 

Deputy Commissioner, Karwar

Uttar Kanada district, Karwar-581301

Email: dckarwar@gmail.com 

Monetising Misfortune: Blue Economy’s Onslaught on Small-Scale Fishing Communities in India Small-Scale Fishing Communities Reject Government Model of Development

The National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF) reaffirms its strong opposition to the Blue Economy model of development, which in essence means handing over the ecological resources to the corporate at the cost of traditional, small-scale fishing communities. Large number of ports, logistics corridors and infrastructure, real estate and tourism, nuclear, defence and power infrastructure, oil and natural gas extraction and pharmaceutical industries have been lacerating the coastal ecology. The ongoing ‘India Maritime Week 2025’ conclave is a blatant proclamation of the invasion and occupation of the Indian coast. Hidden behind India’s development and global aspirations lay the exclusion of fishing communities from democratic processes, their expulsion from the coast and the extinction of their way of life and livelihood.

Each and every protest of the small-scale fishing communities is crushed through brutal state repression.

78 years of independence has failed to provide any legal right to the small-scale fishing communities over their livelihood spaces. That includes fisheries resources, coastal lands and waters, rivers, wetlands, reservoirs, lagoons, ponds and tanks. This absence of rights is the main reason that facilitates the transfer of these lands and waters from small-scale fishing communities to corporate entities for profits under the sponsorship of the state.

Indiscriminate promotion of capital-intensive mechanised fishing is running havoc to the marine fisheries resources. Encroachments, pollution, excessive diversion of water from water bodies and use of rivers for huge cargo transportation are similarly affecting both inland and marine fisheries resources. Massive promotion of aquaculture is premised upon the ruin of natural fish resources. Boom of intensive/industrial shrimp aquaculture has destroyed the coastal ecology, which is the resource base of small-scale fishing communities. There are wider concerns in the shift of this short-sighted profit seeking model of intensive shrimp aquaculture from natural or traditional shrimp production, such as depletion of groundwater and threat to public health with food insecurity and nutritional deficiency.

Small-scale fishing communities who are least responsible for the climate crisis are bearing its most severe brunt. The small-scale fishing communities are experiencing the climate crisis in severe loss of fishing days, loss of life, boats and nets, habitat destruction and gradual collapse of fish drying activities, which disproportionately affect women from the fishing community. Existing government policies are not only inadequate to compensate for the financial losses faced by small-scale fishing communities, but also are promoting those most responsible for the climate crisis.

To counter the onslaught on small-scale fishing communities, NFSF demands:

1. Protection and restoration of coastal and inland water bodies, including fish resources;

2. Small-scale fishing communities right to access, use and protect water, land and fish resources;

3. Stop destruction of the coast in the name of Blue Economy;

4. Stop over-fishing and destructive fishing practices and methods;

5. Stop intensive/industrial aquaculture;

6. Stop criminalisation of small-scale fishing communities

7. Climate justice for small-scale fishing communities;

Our Coasts, Our Rivers, Our Wetlands are Not for Sale.

Save Water. Save Fish. Save Fisher People.

Pradip Chaterjee 

President, NFSF

Sebastiao Rodrigues

Secretary, NFSF

D. Pal

Joint Secretary, NFSF & Gen. Secretary DTFWF, A.P

Call for Kannada Translation of Keni Port EIA report

 20 August 2025

To,

Member Secretary,

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board,

Bengaluru

Email:ms@kspcb.gov.in

Subject: Call for Kannada translation of Development of All-Weather Multi-Cargo Greenfield Deepwater Port near Ankola, Dist. Uttara Kannada, Karnataka of JSW KENI PORT PRIVATE LIMITED (JSW KPPL) draft EIA Report

Sir/Madam,

It has come our attention at National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF) regarding above mentioned subject.

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has announced holding of Public Hearing to install JSW Port at Keni, Ankola on 22 August 2025.

It has also come to our attention that 600 page EIA Report circulated in the locality is entirely in English. Most People of the locality within 15 kms radius - we have come to know - can speak and read Kannada which incidently is also State official language. Only summery of is shared in Kannada. And summery is not equivalent to full draft EIA Report translation.

In order to ensure that Public Hearing participation is firmly grounded in full knowledge of contents of each of 600 pages of draft EIA you are advised to make available entire draft EIA Report in Kannada. Failing to do so would deprive local people access to know as exactly what the Port project is all about and in various facets affecting their lives, neighborhoods, environment and livelihoods based on nature such as fishing, agriculture, horticulture, salt pans and lots more.

In this context you are urged to kindly postpone said Public Hearing till Kannada translation is made available to affected Public.

In the absence of translation Public Hearing will be reduced a farce which we must work collectively to avoid and promote atmosphere conducive for informed consent.

Hoping for your considered attention and sensible action.

Thank you.

Yours Truly,

Dr.S.A.Rodrigues

General Secretary,

National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF)

Copy to:

1. Deputy Commisioner, Uttara Kannada, Karwar

Email:dckarwar@gmail.com

2. Principal Secretary (Environment), Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru

Email:prsfee@gmail.com

Call to defend Sinquerim river

20 May 2025

To,

Captain of Ports,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

To,

The Director of Fisheries,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

To,

Director of Tourism,

Government of Goa,

Paryatan Bhavan,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Call to cease all water sports/tourism canoes operations in Sinquerim river from June 01 to August 31

Sir/Madam,

It has been brought to our attention at National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF) through our affiliate Union in Goa namely All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) that over the past three years situation of Sinquerim river in Bardez is in precarious condition due to Captain of Ports unilateral decision to allow tourism water sports boats carrying tourists to operate during the months of June to August on the mouth of Sinquerim river.

From the mouth of Sinquerim river upto 2 kms inland 24 such boats with PNJ registration carry on their activities in the monsoon season which is also fishing ban period. Fishing ban was introduced with the intention to allow fish breeding in marine waters free from disturbance of high HP outboard engines and mechanised fishing. Allowing tourism canoes to operate in river with 40 HP outboard engine therefore is an open mockery of the very intention of fishing ban to ensure undisturbed fishing breeding season.

It has been brought to our attention by members of All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union who are actively involved in fishing in Sinquerim river that such plying of tourism canoes with permission from Captain of Ports has disrupted Fisheries of the river as 24 canoes operating with tourists on board with 40 HP outboard motor on the mouth of Sinquerim river past three years. Such activities prevents fish from entering mouth of Sinquerim river as that space is kept non-stop disrupted by tourism canoes with 40 HP ourboard engine.

For the past three years this has been the situation that led both the disruption of fish breeding in Sinquerim river as well as negatively affecting local fishing communities in Sinquerim, Candolim and Nerul. Tourism cannot take preference over fishing in Sinquerim river during monsoon fishing ban and we strongly object to such priorities.

Captain of Ports office therefore urged to identify canoes permitted to operate in Sinquerim river from June to August 2025 and withdraw whatever permission granted to those canoes.

Please ensure that no water sports canoes are allowed to operate in Sinquerim river from June to August henceforth.

We also wish to bring to your attention that India is signatory to Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (VG-SSF Guidelines) from 2013 onwards (https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/edfffbfc-81e5-4208-a36f-334ff81ac10f/content). This is an International law that Government of India has declared Implimentable in India through National Policy on Marine Fisheries 2017. According to section 5.5 of VG-SSF Guidelines "States should recognize the role of small-scale fishing communities and Indigenous people to restore, conserve, protect and co-manage local aquatic and coastal eco-systems."

So protection of Sinquerim river is priority for us and we are holding your office accountable to ensure that Sinquerim river Fisheries is protected.

The Sinquerim river is used for fishing purpose during monsoon by over 350 local fishers. However decision of Captain of Ports to grant permissions for canoes during monsoon ban past three years has been without consultation with fishing communities and against the interests of fishing communities locally.

According to section 1.2 of VG-SSF Guidelines it's right of fishers to participate in decision-making process and to assume responsibilities for sustainable use of fishery resources. Your office is urged to take note of this and act to ensure small-scale fisheries remains economically, socially and environmentally sustainable as per section 1.1 (d) of VG-SSF Guidelines.

You are also directed to section 3 (11) wherein Eco-system Approach to Fisheries (EAF) is adopted as an important guiding principle to ensure fishing based livelihoods  of small-scale fishing communities are protected.

Captain of Ports and Director of Tourim are urged to cease all operations of any canoes operating in Sinquerim river with for tourism purposes henceforth from June 01 to August 31 to ensure that fish breeding process during this period remains undisturbed.

Fisheries Department is urged to defend interes of the fishing communities and object to the tourism canoes with 40 HP outboard engines that creates massive disruptions underwater due to sound waves generated.

We hope that you will take note of this letter and ensure that no tourism canoes operate in Sinquerim river from June 01 to August 31 henceforth.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely,

Sebastiao Rodrigues

General Secretary,

National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF)

Impediments created for fishing canoes at Campal, Panaji

22.04.2025

To,

Director of Fisheries,

Panaji, Goa

To,

Captain of Ports,

Panaji, Goa

To,

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest,

Panaji, Goa

To,

Director of Tourism, 

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

To,

Commisioner,

Corporation of City of Panjim,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Impediments created for fishing canoes at Campal, Panaji

Sir/Madam,

It has been brought to our urgent attention by our afflitatiate fishing Union in Goa namely All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) that its members with fishing canoes stationed at Campal are facing various kinds of impediments from Directorate of Tourism, Forest Department and CCP combine. These local fishers who undertake fishing in Mandovi river are told from April 06, 2025 by various officials of these departments that their cannoes looks dirty and they must not dock their canoes at the present venue.

What is dirty and beautiful is based on subjective bias of the beholder. National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF) strongly objects to referring Goa's traditional fishing occupation and their canoes as "dirty".

Moreover we wish to revive the memory that traditional canoe parking spaces at Campal Beach has been progressively encroached upon by Forest department by undertaking plantations of Cajurina and Mangroves. 

NFSF considers this as sustained aggression against Goa's traditional fishing occupation and calls upon your urgent attention to do away with above cited impediments to fishing communities with immediate effect to enable fishers to carry their occupation without any trouble from CCP, Tourism Department, and Forest Department. 

Thanking You.

Yours Truly,

Sebastiao Rodrigues

General Secretary

National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers  (NFSF)

NFSF calls for halt to Police Repression on Fishers of Uttar Kannada coast

27 March 2025

National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF) strongly supports fishing communities of Tonka, Kasarkod, Honnavar, Uttar Kannada. BJP was voted out in elections and Congress was elected to power during last elections. 

And now one only need to see Congress performance from Honnavar coast onwards to North Karnataka.

The way fishing communities of Tonka, Kassarkod under compulsive expulsions from the Coast with Police violence, arrests and intriguing police narrative that fishers as encroachers of Arabian Sea has all been highly objectionable conduct towards respect for fishing communities.

The way Tonka nesting site is being destroyed by Karnataka government by installing ALAN (Artificial Lighting At Night) on Tonka beach on inter-tidal space to disrupt turtle nesting is most disgusting.

The way Cartographic crimes are committed by erasing entire Tonka, Kasarkod fishing habitat from CZMP map is at best conspitorial. What is even more dangerous is that this case (original application no. 212/2024) is believed to be pending in NGT Chennai since 24 September 2024 without any date of next hearing while police are working on ground to clear off people's habitations.

Congress was good as opposition there. Now they have outsmarted BJP in brutalities towards coastal ecosystems and coastal people through violent enforcement of bharatmala - roads and Rail lines plans on Tonka beach for Sagarmala - Ports.

45 people including 07 women criminally charged on February 25, 2025 in latest wave of criminalizing fishing communities with invocation of dozen criminal sections of BNS that attracts punishments of death penalty and life sentences. Even people like Ganapati Tandel and Renuka Tandel who were in Bangalore on that day are criminally charged for crimes on Tonka beach. Raju Tandel, a young fisher from Tonka known for his complaints to Lokayukta was brutal assaulted by police before pushing him in police van. Police inflicted injuries on upper left hand of woman Rojah Tandel, injuries on upper inside thigh of senior fisher Mahmood Koya Sab. Of these 24 fishers were detain in Dharward jail for 24 days in Judicial Custody. Even Rajesh Tandel, leaders of local fisher labouer Union and the one who champions the cause of Olive Ridley turtles nesting site on Tonka beach was criminally charged yet again and jailed. Mental status of Rekha Tandel has decended into severe depressive illness due to shock over witnessing police beastiality on Tonka beating administrating brutal violence on fishers without name plates and badges on their Uniforms with masked faces. Arrested women were abandoned on roadside and hospital at mid-night by police. Conduct of hospital staff to refuse to record police inflicted injuries on  hospital case paper records is extremely dangerous collusion of State health authorities with Politically repression regime. It was dark day in the history of fisher struggle in Karnataka in 21st century.

NFSF applauds efforts of Adv. B.T.Venkatesh and his legal team to obtain bail for Tonka fishers.

NFSF has carried on site visits and offered Solidarity with fishing communities under trauma due to state repression and threats to demolish their houses to construct roads and rails on Tonka beach.

Situation is severe of these several thousand fishers who are also well known for fish drying due to unique ecological sensitivity of Tonka beach wherein mouth of Sharavathi River is known to be shifting over time by few kilometers and there is no stability to the beach as portion gets submerged in Arabian Sea water and new beach surfaces over period of time.

NSFS has petioned Deputy Commisioner of Karwar who sanctioned police actions on beaches at Keni, Ankola on 24 February 2025 and Tonka beach very next day on 25 February 2025.

NFSF has also petitioned Chief Minister of Karnataka, Leaders of Opposition in Rajya Sabha as well as leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha expression our fierce opposition to disrupt life of fishing communities on Uttar Kannada Coast.

NSFS is monitoring the ground  zero situation minutely and have noted that CCTV cameras are installed on approach paths to the residences of Raju Tandel, Rajesh Tandel and Ganapati Tandel as surveillance measures that violated right to privacy.

NFSF has also noted large number of CRPF personell carrying on marching in the village to create situation of fear and tension to fishing communities on 26 February 2025.

NFSF considers the entire police and Port actions in Tonka and Keni not only as in contravention of the Constitution of India but also in violation to VG-SSF Guidelines to which India is signatory with commitment to protect small scale fishing communities and adoption of eco-system based approach to Fisheries.

NFSF calls for: 

1. Withdrawal of all criminal cases against fishers of Tonka, 

Kasarkod 

2. Total halt to police repression on fishers of Tonka, Kasarkod, Honnavar and Keni, Ankola.

3.  Stoppage to police behavior like that of SP Karwar as public relations officers of Private Ports Company calling fishers as encroachers of marine waters.

4. Transformation of colonial thinking that has imposed Ports to destroy fishing based livelihoods and marine ecology on Uttara Kannada Coast.

Sebastiao Rodrigues,

General Secretary,

NFSF

When Police shocked Tonka fishing community at Kasarkod, Honnavar notes reflections from ground zero

03 March 2025

Few more detailed gory facts about Tonka, Kasarkod Police violence has come to our attention as under:

1. On February 25, 2025 at 10.00 am Karnataka Police descended on Tonka, Kasarkod in Honnavar Taluka Taluka in Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka State in Western India. They were around 1000 personnel in uniform. 50% of them were in suspicious dress code: khaki Police uniform without their name plates and buckle numbers tagged on their shirts and with black masks covering their faces. Unusual police outfit.

2. Fishing community at Tonka Beach is in legal possession of the Coastal land from 1991 according to the knowledgeable sources. Hence are entitled to be served notice in case State Authorities need possession of the land for any purpose. So far no notices are served on any of them.

3. State Authorities are trying to take possession of the Coastal beach land at Tonka without serving notices to fishing communities by use of Police force to survey their immovable property including their land and houses for past four years.

4. This attempt has been challenged successfully by fishing communities of Tonka over this period.

5. On July 21, 2021 State administration attempted to demolish the fishing communities houses through bulldozers during heavy rains. This attempt was countered successfully by fishing communities there.

6. Local fisherman Raju Tandel filed complaint before Lokayukta, Karnataka against Assistant Director of Land Records (ADLR), Honnavar for carrying on survey in their village without serving notices to the villagers. Lokayukta took cognizance of the complaint and even indicted higher officer holding the post of Assistant Commisioner (AC) at Bhatkal in this crime. Officer went to Politicians for protection but wasn't successful. The rage accumulated against Raju Tandel was intense.

7. Raju Tandel spoke at the public protests against the illegal survey in the village with police protection and joined the group of village people to drawn themselves in waters of Arabian Sea as an expression of dissent between 10.30 am to 11.00 am. Raju was injured during this act as salty sea water entered his body; was taken to hospital where he vomited during treatment. Hospital records of 25.02.2025 notes in his case papers "alleged attempt to drawn by falling into water". After sometime with due treatment Raju Tandel was sent back and reached home at Tonka around 2.00 pm. He was resting in his house and had not taken any food intake. 

8. While Raju Tandel returned home Police were providing protection to those carrying on illegal survey of the Beach locality to mark out land with installation of cement boundary stones painted with danger red on both sides of the road and marking out houses to be demolished.

9. In the meanwhile young girl from the family of Raju Tandel named Apeksha R. Tandel gave media bite that went viral during the day. She declared that she will commit suicide in case her parents are taken in Police custody. 

10. Viral video attracted visit from Lady Assistant Commisioner, Bhatkal to her house along with 8 Policemen and team from Women and Child Welfare department along with Tehsildar, Honnavar to Raju Tandel's residence at 3.30 pm. They entered sitting room inside the house of Raju Tandel and questioned the girl assuming that she is a minor. They instructed villagers not to video film the discussions for some mysterious reasons. They wanted to know as to who tutored Apeksha to speak to media threatening suicide and and wanted to take her away from the village but did not do anything like that. 

11. Instead Lady Assitant Commisioner went out of the house to receive the phone call on her mobile phone. Villagers standing nearby heard her telling on the phone to fetch two police vans at Tonka.

12. While still inside in his house hungry Raju Tandel got a call around 4.00 pm that Police are beating up his fellow fisher neighbour Ravi Tandel. Hearing this Raju Tandel rushed out of house into the Gallery. In the gallery police caught hold of Raju Tandel and dragged him out away from the house. There they started beating him up with lathis and fists. They then pushed him on ground and kicked him with heavy police shoes. Imagine the agony Raju has gone through already. Then they dragged him around 20 meters and pushed him inside the police van and continued to beat him up. Then police closed the door and windows of the police vans and we don't know what happened to him after that. We don't know the depth of cruelty inflicted on Raju Tandel.

13. Several more fishers were beaten up like Raju, dragged and pushed inside the police van. Mangunath Pandurang Tandel was dragged from his house toilet while answering nature's call. Ragavendra Prakash Tandel was arrested from the same house as Raju Tandel. Some of these 45 people are very vulnerable financially, medically and are still languishing inside the jail at Dharwad as of on 03.03.2025 almost a week in police lock up without freedom, without bail. None of these fishers have ventured in their cannoes for their daily fishing activities.

14. Police manhandled, beaten up, bruised several women too and were taken in custody. Some of these women includes Roja Ramesh Tandel, Padmavati Hanumant Tandel, Nagamani Deepak Tandel, Parvati Mahadev Tandel, Sunita Satosh Tandel and Roshni Datta Tandel. These women were released on the city road middle of the night at 9.00 pm by police; left to find their way home on their own. Still some more women found themselves abandoned in the city hospital at 2.00 am on 26.02.2025 as police just vanished. 

15. They were taken for medical tests at Honnavar Government Hospital. Medical team at the hospital refused to treat any injuries women received due to police violence. There were bruises on faces and upper portion of women's hands when ther were violently pinched and beaten up. Hospital simply refused to put this on record. Instead hospital staff told women to tell if they got cough and fever which they were really to treat. And none had any of these sicknesses. This is a dangerous case of medical establishment colluding with police to perpetrate injustice and oppresion against fishing communities.

16. When Rekha Rajesh Tandel collapsed during protests on 25.02.2025 police refused nearby government Ambulance to be made available to take her to the hospital. Private Ambulance had to be arranged at the cost of Rs.5000/- to rush her to the hospital. A week later she is still shocked and getting treatment in ICU of the hospital while her husband Rajesh Tandel who champions turtle conservation efforts at Tonka beach is in Darward jail along with his fellow fishermen while their children are sheltered by good Samaritan somewhere at the neighbourhood.

17. While people were being taken taken into police vans to effect arrests police went on chasing people grabbed them and took away several mobile phones. Phone are not returned till date and can be termed as robbery by police personel. They did this so that there will be no video records of the constitutional violations, human rights violations. Some phone were formated immidiately to do away with video that could be used as evidence against this police action.

18. The above details indicates that fishing communities at Tonka, Kasarkod, Honnavar are subject to terrorist actions in police uniforms. There is complete collapse of police department and terrorist mindset has hijacked policing in Uttar Kannada District. Police has attracted notoriety for Karnataka Home Ministry. 

19. Urgent steps are necessary to deal with this situation. This note needs to be shared widely and acted upon. Community resisting predatory attack from Police and Port authorities needs to be supported strongly in all possible ways. Condemnation statements against Atrocities committed and reported in this note needs to be issued widely. This note needs to be studied and acted upon in various study groups across India and beyond and effective strategy chalked out to deal with various aspects and challenges in sensible and sensitive manner. 

Sebastiao Rodrigues 

General Secretary

National Platform of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF)

Letter to Karwar Deputy Commisioner on Police repression at Tonka and Keni in Uttar Kannada

From:

Sebastiao Rodrigues

General Secretary,

National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF),

20/4, Sil Lane, 

Kolkata - 700 015

Mobile: 9923336347

E-mail: inlandfisheries.india@gmail.com 

Date: 27 February 2025

Ref. no. NFSF/GS/Kar-01/25

To,

K. Laxmipriya

Deputy Commisioner,

Karwar,

Uttar Kannada,

Karnataka,

India 

Email: dckarwar@gmail.com 

Phone: 9483511015, 9791099097, 9449589597

Subject: Police repression against fishing communities at Keni, Ankola on 24.02.2025 and at Kasarkod, Honnavar on 25.02.2025...Regarding.

Madam,

We are constrained to draw your attention to the following two media reports:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/fishermen-and-women-jump-into-sea-to-oppose-keni-commercial-port-in-karnataka/article69257361.ece

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangaluru/protest-against-port-intensifies-in-uk-dist/articleshow/118564021.cms

We are shocked to note that your office authorised Police action on small scale fishing communities on the coast of Keni village in Ankola Taluka and in Kasarkod village in Honnavar Taluka back to back on 24 and 25 February 2025.

We have got reports that fishing communities in both the localities are fiercely opposed to the proposed Port projects and your office is providing Police protections to protect Port developers. 

We consider that it is of utmost urgency that coast is defended from such developments as it threatens not only fishing based livelihoods but also community identity as fishers. And we are already aware the irreversible damage faced by fishing communities due to Port installations in Karwar. We got to lessons from this rather than committing more such follies.

We have also received information that 45 fisher people of Kasarkod, Honnavar are criminally chared under as many as thirteen sections of BNS that attracts punishment extending to death sentence and life sentence. This is the reward State administration has bestowed upon these fishers for demonstrating their intention to protect the coast at Tonka, Kasargod that is Turtle Nesting site from permanent damage through Port project. Amongst those criminally charged includes 38 men and 07 women named in FIR registered against them at Honnavara Police station on 25.02.2025 with 0049/2025 as crime number.

What is shocking is that amongst those criminally charged includes also those who were not present to commit the offences they are supposed to have committed. The example of Ganapati Tandel and Renuka Ganapati Tandel is one of the glaring one as they were in transit from Mangalore to Bengaluru on 25.02.2025 evening flight.

The choice of names in FIR indicates malafide intention of mass criminalization of fishing communities to instill fear amongst fearless, courageous and dignified fishers of Kasarkod.

As we came to know through media reports that fishers have been in opposition to Port project for past four years it looks to be desperate attempt of State administration to tag these fishers as criminals once again. We are aware that this was attempted earlier too.

Times of India links we shared on this report has interesting conclusion that we wish to quote for you here "While the government views the port construction as a means to boost trade and commerce, fishermen fear loss of their livelihood." NFSF stands on the side of fishermen and express our total outrage againt all the intimidating tactics adopted against fishing communities both in Ankola and Honnavara coasts.

In Kasarkod 1000 Policemen were brought in to protect surveyors landside of the HTL while people gathered on the beach on inter-tidal space and water. Few Policemen were spotted without their name plates and buckle numbers on their uniforms. Additionally few Policemen covered their faces with black masks which was very suspicious act in itself as we noticed from the photos circulating on social media.

We got reports that police entered people's houses later in the evening and whisked away people to police vans to bebtaken into police custody.

We really want you to take through the labyrinths of criminality attributed to dignified fishermen and fisherwonen of Kasarkod. Here are the 13 sections of The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023:

Section on fisherfolk at Tonka;

109; Attempt to murder. This attracts even life sentence.

115(2); Punishment for voluntarily causing 

hurt. This attracts one year in Prison

121(1);Voluntarily causing hurt or grivious hirt to deter public servant from his duty. This has five year jail term

 126(2); Wrongful restraint. This attracts one month imprisonment.

132; Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty. This attracts two years imprisonment. 

189(2);Unlawful assembly- Being member of 

unlawful assembly. This attracts six months jail term.

190;Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object.

191(2); Rioting- Punishment for rioting. Two years jail term.

351(3); Criminal intimidation punishment. This attracts jail sentence of seven years.

352; Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace. This attracts two years imprisonment.

49; Punishment of abetment if act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made 

for its punishment.

61(2); Criminal conspiracy punishment. This attracts death sentence.

74; Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty. This attracts punishment of five years imprisonment.

And now we wish to reproduce names of fishers of Kasarkod recorded in FIR mentioned above. We start with seven women accused:

1. Parvati Datta Tandel

2. Recharge Rajesh Tandel

3. Bharati Rajesh Tandel

4. Renuka Ganapati Tandel

5. Vimala Kamalakar

6. Yashoda Devendra Tandel

7. Vishala Shantaram Tandel

And now 38 fishermen of Kasarkod accused:

1. Rajesh Govind Tandel

2. Hamja Patel

3. Raju Datta Tandel

4. Mahamad Koya Sab

5. Vivan Felison Fernandes

6. Rajesh Sheshagiri Tandel

7. Ayub Sab

8. Bhaskar Tandel

9. Ramesh Babu Tandel

10. Manjunath Devayya Tandel

11. Manoj Sheshagiri Tandel

12. Yasin Hamja Sab

13. Ganapati Tandel

14. Ramesh Manjunath Tandel

15. Manjunath Pandurang Tandel

16. Raghuvendra Prakash Tandel

17. Made Janna Tandel

18. Siyab Shaikh Kunji Sab

19. Rajesh Mohan Tandel

20. Mahammad Yahya Mohammad Sab Baba

21. Nagaraj Devappa Tandel

22. Basheer Ismail Patel

23. Mahammad Abdul Patel

24. Tamum Jameer Sab

25. Suleman G.H. Hassan

26. Siraj Hamjad Sab

27. Sachin Chandra Tandel

28. Sandeep Ramdas Tandel

29. Narasimha Nanda Tandel

30. Salman Khan Ismail Sab

31. Subray Damu Tandel

32. Harsha Pandurang Tandel

33. Kiran Ramchandra Mesta

34. Shantaram Manjunath Tandel

35. Vinay Krishna Tandel

36. Manjunath Tandel

37. Ashfaq Mahhamad Nellikum

38. Ramesh Manjunath Tandel

And the team that criminalized these fishers all have common address: Port office, Honnavar, R/o Sea Bird Road, Baithkol, Karwar, Uttara Kannada, Karnataka

The one signed as complainant is Sayinath Narayan Pednekar. And five names that appears in FIR includes Matesh Fernandes, Roshan Gunagi, Vivek Savant, Batte A.Y. and Vinayak Datta Naik. 

Please convey our strongest outrage to the Karnataka administration that has unleashed Police terror though your office against fishing communities defending their lives and fishing based livelihoods. 

We hereby call upon your office: 

1. To stop harrarrasing and criminalizing fishing communities who live dignified life though their fishing based hard labour. Neither State nor Corporate has right to expell them from the coast. 

2. To withdraw all the criminal cases filed against fishers on 25.02.2025 as mentioned above. We call upon your office to get the FIR quashed.

Fishers in Uttara Kannada deserve much better treatment than the way your office is perceiving them as criminals that are to be banished from the coast. This is indeed abuse of your office to launch something heineou against fishing communities who are first defence of our coasts. It is deeply regrettable to note the way your office is treating fishing communities in insulting manner.

Awaiting your quick and decisive response in defence of fishing communities.

Thanking you, 

Yours Truly,

Sebastiao Rodrigues

General Secretary, 

National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF)

Copy to:

1. All concerned government authorities 

2. Fishing communities on the coast of Uttara Kannada District.

Reflective notes on my visit to Fishers in Ahmadnagar district of Maharashtra

I

I was on visit to small scale fishing communities in Maharashtra's Ahmadnagar District from 22 to 24 January 2025.

My first station of halt was in Dahigao village in Shevgao taluka in Ahmadnagar District on 22 January 2025.

I got to know that several thousand small scale fishers of this village and many more villages around carry on their fishing activities in the waters of Jaikawadi dam constructed on Godavari river flooding 36,000 hectares of land sometime around 1972. People lost their houses as well as cultivation land as water level increased due to river being dammed. 

Water surface attracted migratory birds for aound three months of the years. Around 1986 this dam was declared as bird sanctuary placing restrictions on fishing activities. Nevertheless people continue to venture for fishing for diversity of local fish species. 

Ten years ago Telapia got introduced into dam waters and local fish variety have drastically reduced. Price reduced from Rs.200/- per kg to Rs.30/- per kg of fish with Telapia dominating dam waters. This has affected local fishing economy in negative manner.

Around four years ago this dam attracted another project to cover up 30,000 hectares of dam water with solar panels to generate electricity. That leaves just 6,000 hectares for fishing. 

In order to materialize this project there is also plans to erect barricade around the waters of Jaikawadi dam to prevent entry of fishing communities in the waters.

This situation has created tense situation and promted opposition amongst local fishing communities. There is sangarsh samiti operating in several affected villages.

Matter has shuffled in various Courts from High Court, NGT and currently in Supreme Court of India.

There are many fishers who has e-shram cards. However the Occupational details doesn't mention as fisher but as workers. Few do mention as fishers. Communities need expertise on how to effect correction in their occupation, and request to this effect was placed before me.

Fishing communities here also complaint about restrictions placed on them by forest department in using diesel engines to their boats.

There are several cases of accidental death of fishers in dam waters while they were fishing. This needs further investigation. 

The matter about sugar factory waste finding its way into the dam water was also discussed during the meeting. 

It is important that fishers here are unionized and NFSF needs to take urgent steps to organise and effectively intervene. Approximate affected fishers due to solar panel project in Jaikawadi dam are 40,000 while total number of affected people is around 3 lakh.

There is need to connect with those in the know-how of this issue as leadership level to further enhance understanding. I did attempt to do this but got only partial success. Further urgent follow-up is recommended.

II

I have come to know that local fishers had organised themselves into 27 "Societies" but they got dissolved as auditing wasn't done within time limits.

This point came up for discussion during my second meeting on 23 January 2025 at Pravara Sangam village in Nevasa Taluka. This village to expressed desire to co-operate in forming Union and four people volunteered to take this task ahead.

I had another meeting with fushers on 23 January 2025 at Ramdoh village in Nevasa village and they too are affected by Jaikawadi dam solar panel project and expressed desire to unionize themselves to asser their collective strength.

III

My last meeting with fishers was on 24 January 2025 at Taaklebandh village in Sirirampur Taluka. Here local ST fishers land was acquired for Govindsagar dam that was commissioned in 1972. So the lost their land. 

This is also the village of Balasaheb Gangorde, one of NFSF working committee member from Maharashtra. 

Issues here are of Rights. Fishers had registered society I 1994-95 and got dissolved in 2003-04 for failure to complete audit report on time.

In 2021-22 two applications were moved before the authorities to register fresh society. Fishers had moved their application before the second one. Second one was moved by non-fishers to counter the first application. State authorities accepted second application from non-fishers and left fishers in a state deprivation and expulsion.

As a result of this situation local fishers are not allowed to carry on their fishing activities. Agitation is going on. Possibilities of unionized fishworkers here was discussed and possibilities explored. 

IV

There is need to put in place active NFSF network across Maharashtra with support from functioning registered and unregistered Unions. This is very important as currently functioning is not co-ordinated state-wide and fragmented planning can hamper effective action and impactful interventions. 

Urgent attention of all our NFSF contacts in Maharashtra is called for as we need to put in criss-cross networks in place with the expansion of Union reach, base and membership.

V

This visit was facilitated effectively by Ashankur women's centre at Bokar in Srirampur taluka. I am particularly gratefully to Sr. Prisca, Sr. Agnes, Atul, Prakash, Rekha and Ashwini. There is tremendous scope to work further from here particularly with regard to women in fishing and women fish vendors as leadership here has expressed desire to move in that direction. Further thoughts and clarity is required to move ahead in this direction.

I also place on record tremendous commitment demonstrated by NFSF National Working Committe member Balasaheb Gangorde during my three days visit there.

Urgent follow up needed on this note both for purpose of verification and organizational advancement. 

Sebastiao Rodrigues 

General Secretary, 

National Federation of Small-Scale Fishworkers (NFSF)

My West Bengal Visit Report

Part I

I got the opportunity to visit fishing communities in West Bengal during my visit in December 19-28, 2024. I got several insights and most important of them was how to transcend language and culture barriers and communicate and go for authentic in-depth conversations! And my visit was full of such conversations. 

I picked up the threat from where I left in November 2024 ; Keleghai river in East Midnapur. The distance, language and cultural barriers kept my understanding incomplete then. This time I got to dig deeper. I understood that the factory on the banks of Keleghai river that is responsible for triggering pollution is dye manufacturing industrial units. These has pushed local fishing communities in uproar. They hit the streets in November 2024, submitted memorandum prior to that to various West Bengal government departments under direction from DMF. Yet there has been no relief. Industrial units responsible for polluting Keleghai river haven't been shut down.

My next station of understanding has been through personal visit to Baguran Jalpai village. This village shows scars of intensive shrimp farming on agricultural lands. No grains are cultivated on vast land as land witnesses dugged out spaces full of accumulated water with shrimps seeds left to mature into adult prawns for exports. It was my first such exposure to this reality I had never imagined. Use of chemicals in abundance coupled with release of accumulated water in natural water systems poisons entire eco-systems. It's economics needs further examination. During floods few years ago shrimps escaped all over provoking bonanza for some and heavy losses for others.

My third station of understanding came at Dadarpatra barch Matsya Khoti. I got to know about the landing centre, about nearly 100 fishing boats that toil there, about their place in supply chain, the resilient history of the fishers in this landing centre and about how sudden rains brings peril to the lives of fishers with fish drying activity being heavily jolted, fish pushed into rot and fisher bear economic loss.

My fourth station has been visit to Mandarmuni Beach, a fast urbanising space, rapidly getting concrete covers, agriculture in fertile soil pushed into coma and even recent Calcutta High Court Judgement ordering demolition of illegal concrete structures within CRZ limits has found itself in deep cold storage due to State counter-intervention to stall demolitions and nullify court direction. State values concretizing and urbanising of the coast above anything else as action speak louder than words.

I conclude this note with an indicator that more is awaiting. For this much part I am indebted to my NFSF colleagues from West Bengal and formidable network that DMF has put in place.

Part II

Second leg report of West Bengal visit: more on Mandanmuni beach

Few things still about Mandanmuni Beach visit ably facilitate by DMF leadership. Beach is under stress due to tourism and urbanising aggression. It's adjacent to Dadarpatra fish landing Beach, East Midnapur. Stress levels are evident from ongoing anti-erosion measures undertaken to stop further intrusion of sea waves landwards. Already 200 meters of land is submerged under waters and sea is on continues wavvy march. Thus happened during past one decade or so. There used to be agriculture cultivation. It's all gone under water of Bay of Bengal. Waters flashed red flag. Magnetic attraction of economic processes including shady ones has gripped this region. Beach looked exclusively for tourism and there was no fishermen or their boats anywhere visible.

I encountered this type of situation of Sea taking over extensive landward spaces at elsewhere too in West Bengal and it will be noted in further parts of this note. 

For the moments it's sufficient evidence to conclude that coastal stress is real. Causes are varied, mostly rooted in economy and urging of few to dominate over other people and take ecology hostage. We got to think collectively from this realistic situations.

Part III

One of the places that had never registered on my mind was Sagar Island in Bay of Bengal. My West Bengal colleagues from NFSF proved ably resourceful in matters connected with fishers, coast and coastal livelihoods on Sagar Island. Narrative presented to me during conversations aroused lots of interest and yearnings to understand more. More so because it is important geography of Sunderbans and politically volatile. My impression about Sunderbans was hazy with tigers populating most of my imagination. Now it is challenged.

Few things I got to as insights and I take this space to share here.

It's about One hour journey in regular operating passenger boats in waters operating from Namkhana Jetty to Sagar Island. We got into one of those boats just before sunset and navigated to Island to reach our destination at early hours of night. 

Sagar Island has about two lakh people residing and Island is encircled by sandy beaches. Most of the people has fishing as their occupation. They construct make shifts huts of non-concrere material during fishing season known as "zopdis" in plural and "zopdi" in singular, and then move to the permanent houses during fishing off season. Twelve Months of the year are shared in the two locations with some defined proportions.

On the Island there are several fishers societies or "somitees" dedicated to protecting fishers' interest. I had privilege of meeting few of them and interacting with as leaders of fish landing centers. Few names I encountered :Sagar Sangam marine khoti somobai somoti, Sagar sangam Bunirkhal Onogrosor Sankhyalogo Marine Matsyajibi khoti samiti, Sagar matsyajibi marine khoti somobai Somoti, D.K. Sagar Ma Ganga Marine Somobai Khoti Somoti. I got to meet office bearers of couple of these and discuss issues they were confronting fishing, fish drying.

Two things were shared with me with request to take things further. First is annual invasion of fishing spaces on Island due to touristic expansion of cultural festival that takes place on 14-15 January. Combination of Political machinations has ensured that the local area fishing somoti remains in docile and submissive mode in the face of open invasion. Annual takeover of fishing spaces are effected more because of fishers opposed abrupt en mass take over of their land some years ago. Now strategy of invasion has been re-structured and this is the reality posing challenge to fishing communities on Sagar Island.

Second issue is bi-yearly anti-erosion measures taken up on the beach. I am informed that tenders are issued and taken to use stones for anti-erosion measures but actually mud is used that gets washed away in time. So new tender. This form of corruption is the charge of local fishing communities. One needs to examine various experiences of anti-erosion measures on coast and devise strategy for intervention. Literate stones or other kind of stones are desirable for anti-erosion measures? Mud is desirable for the same purpose? And of course corruption as an issue needs to death with too but there is a need for leadership to get back into drawing room and examine fundamentals of anti-erosion measures for this will crop up all over coast across India and in fact has already did.

What is the responsibility of Organisations in this context? What should be the way to get greater in-depth understanding of fishing communities vis-a-vis anti-erosion interface unfolding?

Sagar Island allows us the opportunity to engage deeper on these issues and let's make best of it!

Part IV

Glimpse into fish famine site at Frazerganz

After visit to fishing abundance sites on Sagar Island in Sunderbans I found guided to fishing sites of descending sorrows. Once buzzing fishing landing site known locally as "Khoti" system had got into unusual crisis of our times. It's fish landing cum fish drying site at Frazerganj, Baliyada in South 24 Pargana District. There is remarkable presence of small scale fishing (SSF) communities with their outboard motor fitted cannoes as well as trawlers at this beach site.

However past one month from around November 2024 entire fishing livelihood systems has taken a jolt: No fish gets trapped in fishing nets. 

There is crisis at the very foundation of fishing supply chain, Sea. Both cannoes of SSF an well as trawlers return to the shore almost without any fish, near empty or full empty. 

Impact of the crisis was visible rather dramatically. Fish drying sites of vast sizes were fully empty with blue floor covering fully visible. Handful of these fish drying sites were taken over by young boys playing rudimentary football oblivion to the fact that community has entered inside the belly of scarcity in accentuated form- the famine. Perhaps these boys were wise enough to play than stress ridden elderly men in brawl and horizontal hostilities and intoxication.

Fishers at fish landing sites has firm economic strings attached. SSF Fishers take loans from few private individuals to maintain their fishing business. In return they pledge to hand over all the fish they cath to the same individuals: full quantity every time for entire season. These private individuals then take the trapped fish fresh as well as dried one and market it in their network at various places in India and even out of India. Fishers get their finance and individuals get their fish supply and profits.

This chain of rather informal yet stable arrangement has taken a jolt over a month at this site.

Various causes are attributed for having caused such an umpreedented situation such as overfishing by trawlers and purse seiners as well as climate crisis that we hear from media sources. Perhaps it could be both contributing in varying proportions. 

Even though things might get cleared after scientific findings trickles in after many years certain quick decions are needed. Continuity of trawl fishing gears as well as purse seine fishing nets needs to be revisited and acted upon rather urgently. However there is tremendous deficiency of political will to do so and this could lead to further intensification of the crisis that may even trigger conflicts and suicides. 

It is very important to monitor the emerging situation very closely as every day gone without fish catch is tickling time bomb. How it's going to be effectively defused? What measures required to effectively navigate lives of Fisher navigators to the other end of crisis? Or is there end to this crisis? Do our Unions have surplus preparedness to face this kind of situations in rest of India? What lessons do we have to learn and offer from each other? What responsibilities and responses government of West Bengal has taken so far? What's the think tanks at Indian Home Ministry pondering upon as disaster is in their purview?

I am grateful to my colleagues from NFSF and DMF for making my visit smooth sailing in West Bengal fishing. It's been great learning first hand exposure and few more posts will follow in days to come. 

Part V

Brief impressionistic note on fishwork and allied themes at Lalganj Beach fish landing centre in Namkhana block of South 24 Parganas District

This is one of the sites with active fishwork in action. Men and Women work on variety of fishwork functions. People have their permanent houses in villages but entire families shift on beach during fishing season in temporary thatched shelters. They go to Bay of Bengal waters and harvest fish in their nets with varied mesh sizes. 

Fish drying is dominant activity of this this beach. Each family has its space to dry fish and after that to market it in well oiled Khoti system. 

Transportation is available right from the beach. I heard the name "toto" for the first time for transportation vehicle that runs on battery with completely flexible seating freedom. It was amazing learning experience!

Workforce composition of this beach is about 150 adults that includes 50 men and 100 women. 100 women includes 36 "marine widows". Marine widows are women who lost their husbands in some accident in Bay of Bengal while fishing or related work. I heard about "marine widows" for the first time too. Marine widows have an organisation and leadership of their own facilitated by DMF at District level in South 24 Parganas.

I also came to know that similar organisation is also functioning of "Tiger Widows" with active back up from DMF. These are women whose husbands are killed due to tiger attacks in Sunderban forest where such conflicts are very common. Tiger attacks are very common in the locality. While I was at Lalganj Beach I got to know about latest Tiger attack 45 kms away in Moypith village where Tiger brushed his paw on the back of man's neck to effect bloodshed and instant death. Besides humans Tiger's common target includes cows, goats. Amongst humans men get attacked while foraging for fish in the Interior of forest. 

There are multiple crisis that are surfacing in the context of Sunderbans. Fish is moving Interior of Sunderbans where tigers move around. To catch fish men venture into deep wild. In the process often gets killed or injured in tiger attack. Fish moves Interior for several reasons. One of them is pollution of water. Source of pollution being Kolkatta city. It is important to connect people working sunderband with those working on pollution and sanitation issues in Kolkata city. Two needs to have some level of collaboration. 

Additionally there are constant hostilities between forest department policies and fishing communities at theoretical and practical level. Forest conservation policies excludes human from conservation and rewards expulsion. While human fishers assert their right to fishing in conserved areas of Sunderbans. 51 years of Sunderbans history is indeed a series of tragedy and misery, bloodshed and sorrow, violence and expulsion on communities. 

Lalganj Beach that currently hosts fish drying activities has certain pressure from forest department to plant mangroves on the beach. It will spell death knell to fishing communities. In fact at few kilometres distance from Lalganj Beach there is visible Luthiana Island under control of forest department. Local fishers as well as tourists are banned from entering there.

Lalgunj Beach front has lost around 5 kms due to erosion and water has come inside land wards.

Pressues imposed by these complex dynamics are enormous and needs organised well thought out responses. 

My visit to West Bengal was ably facilitated by NFSF and DMF leadership Pradip Chatterjee, Debasis Shyamal, Milan Das, Abdar Mallick, Rina Das, Satyaranjan Jana and Nikhil Das and I remain grateful to all my colleagues from West Bengal.

I hope above notes will be helpful insights for timely and effective interventions at various levels.

Sebastiao Rodrigues 

General Secretary,

NFSF