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Women's Only Alcohol And Drug Rehab Centers In The U.S.

In general, women are less likely to use and abuse illicit drugs than men. When they do develop a substance use disorder, women experience more barriers to securing addiction treatment than men and may find it difficult to seek treatment.

Women's only alcohol and drug rehab centers provide gender-specific treatment with customized rehab programs to fit the needs of women with substance abuse problems.

Allowing women a safe, supported environment in which to heal affords a better healing experience. Overall, this prompts women to stay in and complete treatment, leading to better recovery outcomes.

Top 7 Women's Only Alcohol And Drug Rehab Centers In The U.S.

Finding a women's only alcohol and drug rehab center may seem daunting. Many rehab programs exist, but it's important to find one that specifically matches the needs of the woman entering treatment, as this can lead to long-lasting recovery.
The following top 7 women-only rehab centers in the United States were selected based on:

excellence of rehab programs

facility accreditation

variation of treatments offered

positive alumni reviews

1. Beth's Blessing At The Annville Institute, Annville, Kentucky

Beth's Blessing is a CARF-accredited intensive outpatient (day) program for women only in Kentucky.

This women's rehab program is facilitated through the Annville Institute, located in the Appalachian foothills of Kentucky.

Women enrolled at Beth's Blessing receive Christian-based addiction treatment services with a dual focus on clinical and spiritual counseling.

Women in the program are required to attend one hour of individual counseling per week and 15 hours of small group recovery and group therapy sessions.
Small group recovery sessions include participation in groups such as: Group counseling and therapy sessions can have a focus on:

aftercare

anger management

career and personality testing

GED assistance and completion

parenting

relapse prevention

relationships

wellness

Beth's Blessing day program is led by a physician, licensed counselors, pastoral counselors, and peer support specialists.

Beth's Blessing accepts Kentucky Medicaid insurance plans, with more than 90 percent of program participants using Medicaid to pay for services.

Location and contact information:

125 South Main Cross St.
Louisa, Kentucky 41230
(888) 520-8736

(844) 616-3400

2. BRC Recovery, Austin, Texas

Bringing Real Change (BRC) Recovery provides inpatient, gender-specific treatment for women accredited by the Joint Commission.

The BRC women's program is a primary 90-day inpatient stay followed by a 90-day transitional living period with a 12-month aftercare monitoring program.

In this way, women are given the greatest opportunity to achieve a lasting recovery from addiction.

BRC believes that gender-separate treatment allows women to spend less time discussing gender issues and more time focusing on complete healing from addiction and mental health issues.
Each women's rehab program may follow a continuum of care but is designed exclusively for each woman and may include:

group and individual therapy sessions

12-step group meetings

alternative therapies

life skills courses

yoga and fitness

spiritual coaching

medical monitoring

In addition, women can attend workshops to achieve growth in certain aspects of their lives, such as experiential trauma workshops and healthy relationships in recovery workshops.

The transitional living programs offer women a way to move from intensive treatment to extended addiction recovery care.
BRC offers the following types of transitional living programs:

high-accountability sober living: home-like environment with daily staff-led group meetings, highly structured routine, and a high ratio of staff to residents.

traditional sober living: more independence in a home-like environment. The residence is overseen by a community manager and staff checks in weekly.

graduate-style apartments: independent living within a recovery community and higher levels of freedom. Community managers enforce house rules.

Finally, the aftercare monitoring program offers a number of supportive services to help keep women on track with sobriety which include:
BRC accepts most major commercial insurance providers and private pay plans.

Location and contact information:

11503 Parsons Rd.
Manor, Texas 78653
(866) 905-4550

3. Denver Recovery Center, Denver, Colorado

Denver Recovery Center provides a women-only, inpatient rehab program for the treatment of substance use and mental health disorders.

An important goal of women's treatment at the Denver Recovery Center is to ensure each woman feels her emotions, treatment experience, and thoughts are heard and recognized as valid.

Denver Recovery Center offers a holistic approach, combined with evidence-based treatments, for a well-rounded healing experience.
Treatment services for women include:
The facility has experience in treating addictions to multiple types of drugs, tailoring female rehab programs to fit the differing needs associated with abuse of each drug.

Women in residential treatment programs can access medically assisted detox when necessary and may enter a dual diagnosis program to address co-occurring issues.

For the varying levels of recovery, Denver Recovery Center also offers intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs. Outpatient treatment services are also available here.

Denver Recovery Center accepts the majority of private insurance carriers, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Humana. For those struggling financially, Denver Recovery Center provides a private tuition scholarship.

Location and contact information:

295 Interlocken Blvd.
Suite 400
Broomfield, Colorado 80021
(844) 307-2955

4. Hope By The Sea, San Juan Capistrano, California

Hope by the Sea provides both residential drug rehab and inpatient addiction treatment services for women ages 18 and older.

Offering a range of well-rounded services, Hope by the Sea aims to help each woman who enters its programs learn to manage stress without abusing substances, entering a healthier lifestyle.

Women who need to detox can receive medically supervised detox services. From there, women enter a customized residential rehab program.
Addiction treatment services at Hope by the Sea include:

12-step group involvement

addiction education

dual diagnosis treatment

family programs

fitness and exercise

group and individual therapy

nutritional guidance

sobriety college programs

young adult programs

After completing inpatient treatment, women who will benefit from extended care can also access outpatient treatment services at Hope by the Sea.

The facility typically offers short-term inpatient addiction treatment, but women who need a longer stay due to more severe substance abuse issues can find it in the extended care program.

Women who are ready to transition back into daily life, but want to set themselves up for recovery success, can enter one of the sober living homes through Hope by the Sea in Orange County.

Sober living homes provide access to independent living while existing in a recovery community, where ongoing therapy, 12-step meetings, and continued treatment are encouraged.
Hope by the Sea currently works with the following private insurance providers:
Location and contact information:

33171 Paseo Cerveza
San Juan Capistrano, California 92675
(866) 930-4673

5. The Orchid Program At Palm Recovery Centers, Palm Springs, Florida

The Orchid program is a women-only drug rehab program facilitated by Palm Recovery Centers of South Florida. This rehab center is accredited by both the Joint Commission and CARF.

The Orchid specializes in treating addiction and mental health for women with struggling with unresolved trauma as well as substance abuse.

A strong component of The Orchid program is restoring women's physical health just as much as their psychological health. Focus is on increasing fitness, exercise, nutritional balance, and teaching women healthy-lifestyle habits to lend to recovery success.

The Orchid largely works on helping women heal from physical, emotional, and psychological trauma. This way, women can progress in personal growth and be more receptive to healing from addiction in all aspects.
A vast number of evidence-based, alternative, and experiential therapies are offered through The Orchid to help women accomplish recovery goals:

acupuncture

art therapy

cognitive behavioral therapy

experiential group work

family sculpting

group counseling

hormone therapy

life skills therapy

trauma treatment

yoga

Women who have completed the residential treatment program at The Orchid can also join the alumni network through Palm Recovery Centers for ongoing aftercare support. The Orchid program accepts major private health plans and private pay options.

Location and contact information:

2925 10th Ave.
Palm Springs, Florida 33461
(866) 568-2321

6. Sandy's Place, Newport Beach, California

Sandy's Place is a women-only rehab program at the Hotel California by the Sea recovery center. The program is accredited by the Joint Commission and provides inpatient treatment for women for 30 days up to a year.

Here, women can heal privately in an intimate, supportive environment.
Each inpatient rehab program is custom-designed and may include any number of therapies:
Sandy's Place recognizes that abuse of each substance comes with unique needs for treatment, and so separates programs for substance abuse, alcohol abuse, and prescription drug abuse.

The rehab center ensures each woman receives a full clinical assessment, which helps identify any underlying trauma, emotional issues, and co-occurring disorders. Dual diagnosis treatment programs are developed to fit each woman's individual mental health and addiction needs.

Women may begin with medically supervised detox and transition into inpatient treatment. For those who complete a rehab program, they can be connected to outpatient treatment services in other Hotel California by the Sea rehab locations.
Sandy's Place accepts private pay and most private health insurance carriers, including:
Location and contact information:

Hotel California by the Sea
1509 Orange Ave.
Unit A
Costa Mesa, California 92627
(800) 762-6717

7. The Willows At Red Oaks Recovery, Asheville, North Carolina

The Willows at Red Oaks Recovery offers clinically focused and trauma-informed addiction care for women in a gender-specific environment.

This rehab facility is CARF-accredited and holds a number of affiliations within the addiction treatment industry.

The Willows offers targeted treatment programs for women, including a special focus on dual diagnosis treatment programs.
Addiction and mental health treatment for women at The Willows include:
Residential rehab programs here include individual counseling, group therapy, and a combination of therapies.

Experiential therapies at The Willows aim to help women rebuild self-confidence and gain valuable problem-solving skills. Instead of a traditional therapy setting, women engage in a number of activities, like rock climbing, horseback riding, and role-playing.

Recreational therapy works to help women regain their strength, stability, and learn new ways to cope. Methods include hiking, ropes courses, and gardening.

Programs at The Willows may be short-term residential or long-term residential (90 days or more). Women who have completed an inpatient rehab program here will be connected with aftercare services to continue receiving care.

Payments accepted at The Willows include major private health insurance plans and private pay options.

Location and contact information:

108 Executive Park
Asheville, North Carolina 28801
(855) 416-5355

Women's Only Addiction And Mental Health Treatment

Women may be less likely than men to abuse illicit drugs and alcohol, but women who abuse substances tend to experience more severe substance use disorders, more intense withdrawal symptoms, and more abuse-related health issues.

Addiction treatment may be difficult for women to seek as they may be experiencing personal issues and situations which make it difficult to find care.

Some women are primary or sole caregivers to their children, for example, and worry about what will happen to their children or other family dependents while they're in treatment.

Other women may have experienced violence, domestic abuse, or other trauma which makes it difficult for them to open up and be receptive to treatment.

For these and other reasons, it's important to have gender-specific rehab programs that are individualized to meet the needs of each woman who enters addiction treatment.

Gender-Specific Rehab Programs For Women

Because of the unique issues faced by many women, gender-specific addiction care is extremely important. In a gender-separate environment, women are treated separately from men. Some rehab centers solely treat women.

Treating women in a women-only environment allows them to get away from the social expectations they may feel bound to when in the presence of men. Most often, women-only treatment is also facilitated by female treatment professionals.

Each female-only women's rehab program will be designed according to her needs. Treatment services included in the program will be determined based on an initial clinical assessment.
Conducted before the start of treatment, clinical assessments for women entering addiction treatment assess:
Customized Women-Only Treatment Programs

For every issue women face during addiction treatment, customized women-only rehab programs have a treatment to address it.
Some of these treatments include:

alternative therapy to rebuild self-confidence and life skills, such as outdoor or equine therapies

behavioral therapy to modify negative thoughts which lead to destructive behaviors

counseling, to work through personal issues which contribute to substance abuse

dual diagnosis (co-occurring disorder) treatment

group therapy, so women can connect with and relate to others in treatment for support

holistic treatments, to teach women ways to cope and deal with triggers for complete healing, such as meditation

medication-assisted treatment

medically supervised detox programs

Following the clinical assessment, women meet with counselors, clinicians, and physicians to determine a course of treatment that will work for them and help them best reach recovery goals.

Factors Which Affect Substance Abuse And Addiction Treatment For Women

Women are more likely than men to experience economic barriers to securing addiction treatment than men, such as trouble paying for treatment.

Women are also less likely to be able to attend regular outpatient treatment sessions or commit to an extended stay at an inpatient rehab center. Women tend to have more home responsibilities which make it difficult to step away for weeks or months for treatment.

Also, while both men and women have to overcome the social stigma associated with seeking addiction recovery, women are more susceptible to feeling the negative effects of stigma.
Other factors which affect substance abuse and addiction treatment for women include:
Barriers To Addiction Treatment For Women

Research has shown that women may experience more barriers that can keep them from seeking treatment as compared to men.

Barriers to addiction treatment for women can be as simple as not finding proper childcare or as impactful as not finding treatment that's been adequately tested for women.
Barriers to substance abuse and addiction treatment for women include:

Women may not have adequate information and resources for treatment.

Women may be experiencing everyday struggles, such as symptoms of mental illness, which make it difficult to follow through on seeking treatment.

Anxiety and depression are found in high numbers among women. The nature of these disorders makes it difficult for women to seek treatment.

Some women may experience cultural barriers, such as language issues.

Substance Abuse And Addiction In Women

One of the primary substance abuse and addiction problems among women is the abuse of prescription drugs, especially the abuse of prescription opioids.

Opioids are powerful painkiller narcotics that alter the way a person's brain responds to pain. With abuse, these drugs not only alter pain perception but also produce a high.

Women are more likely than men to experience chronic pain, seek treatment for pain, be prescribed an opioid drug, and abuse the opioid.

Opioids are highly addictive and can lead to addiction and physical dependence in just a short time, so women abusing opioids risk both addiction and overdose.
Facts about substance abuse and addiction in women include:

Women may be more likely than men to use prescription opioids to self-medicate.

From 1999 to 2016, opioid overdose deaths increased more quickly for women than for men.

Women between ages 45 and 54 are more likely than women of any other age group to die of an opioid overdose.

Women are more likely than men to seek treatment for abuse of central nervous system depressants, such as anti-anxiety medications. They are also more likely to overdose on these medications.

Long-term alcohol abuse is more likely to cause lasting damage to a woman's health than a man's.

Women metabolize alcohol differently than do men, leading to more rapid intoxication rates from smaller amounts of alcohol.

Women who inject heroin may be more at risk than men to die of an opioid overdose.

Women are increasingly more vulnerable to the effects of stimulants, such as methamphetamine and cocaine, than men.

Women who abuse cocaine and meth list reasons for use such as help with energy and exhaustion levels associated with childcare, housework, school, and work.

While men are more likely overall to use substances, women are just as likely to develop a substance use disorder when abusing drugs or alcohol.

Women experience more long-term, damaging effects due to drug abuse, including the risk of fatal overdose.

Finding A Women's Only Rehab Program

Finding a women's only rehab program that is designed to address her unique treatment needs may directly impact a woman's recovery outcome.

Though there has not always been treatment available to specifically address the needs of women in addiction recovery, such programs exist now.

Women's drug rehab programs can help women make lasting changes to behavior, increase self-confidence and life and coping skills, and teach women ways to live a life free of substances.

For help in locating a women's only rehab program in the U.S., contact one of our treatment specialists for professional guidance.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff

This page does not provide medical advice. See more
Article resources
Addiction Resource aims to provide only the most current, accurate information in regards to addiction and addiction treatment, which means we only reference the most credible sources available.

These include peer-reviewed journals, government entities and academic institutions, and leaders in addiction healthcare and advocacy. Learn more about how we safeguard our content by viewing our editorial policy.

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7 Best Women's Alcohol And Drug Rehab Centers| Women Only

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In general, women are less likely to use and abuse illicit drugs than men. When they do develop a substance use disorder, women experience more barriers to securing addiction treatment than men and may find it difficult to seek treatment.

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Prisoners in mental health centres: Suo motu initiated

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KOZHIKODE: The Kerala High Court has initiated criminal proceedings against 10 government departments, including Social Justice and Prisons, based on a TNIE report which had revealed the shocking plight of convicted/remanded prisoners in the state government-run mental asylums. The report titled '72-yr-old remand prisoner languishing in state mental asylum for 50 years' (August 3, 2019) detailed the misery of prisoners - including 72-year-old Vijayan (name changed) - at the mental health centres in Kuthiravattam, Peroorkada and Thrissur.

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Female offenders are provided appropriate programs and services to meet their physical, social, and psychological needs

Of the nearly 152,000 federal offenders, women consistently account for approximately 7 percent of the federal inmate population. While nationwide, women are a growing correctional population, women in the Bureau have comprised a steady proportion of the overall population. In the Bureau, women are housed among 29 facilities.

Because the Bureau recognizes women may have different needs than men, the Reentry Services Division includes a Women and Special Populations Branch (WASPB). This office ensures the development and provision of services to meet the needs of federally incarcerated women, and provides national guidance on the classification, management, intervention programs and practices for females in Bureau custody. Stakeholder engagement, including inmate feedback, is a priority, and is utilized to identify and implement new programmatic and training needs. As the agency's primary source for subject matter expertise on women, WASPB is involved in national policy development, ensuring new initiatives address gender-specific needs.

Programs and Services

Women in Bureau custody are offered many of the same educational and treatment programs that are available to male offenders; however, women in prison differ from their male counterparts in significant ways. For example, women are more likely to be primary caregivers for children, experience economic hardship, employment instability, and have fewer vocational skills as compared with males. They are more likely than men have a history of trauma and abuse, which poses additional challenges for reentry. Therefore, specialized initiatives and programs are offered at female sites which are trauma-informed and address women's specific gender-based needs.

In meeting the gender specific needs of women, the Bureau has greatly increased the programming and services which are available to women. These initiatives include additions to the First Step Act (FSA) required Evidence Based Recidivism Reduction (EBRR) Programs and Productive Activities (PAs) available for women. The agency provides more than 15 programs specifically for women. We recently added college programming for women as well. More information on EBBR Programs and PAs can be found in the First Step Act Approved Programs Guide.

The Bureau's flagship womenâ€™s program is the Foundation Program, which assists women in assessing their individual needs and translating the results of that assessment into the selection of programs and plans to meet their goals. It is offered at all female sites. The FIT Program (Female Integrated Treatment Program) is a residential treatment program that offers integrated cognitive-behavioral treatment for substance use disorders, mental illness, and trauma related disorders, as well as vocational training, to female inmates. The Resolve Program which is a non-residential trauma treatment EBRR program for women has also been expanded to all female facilities housing designed women. Additionally, the EBRR National Parenting Program includes gender specific modules added for women.

The Bureau also provides a wide range of PAs for women that address gender specific needs including domestic violence survival, aging, pro-social and assertive communication skills, emotional regulation, relationships, job and work force skills, and criminal thinking.

Pregnancy Issues

Women in prison are often the primary or sole caregivers of children prior to incarceration. For offenders who will give birth during their incarceration, there are two programs offered to assist these mothers before, during, and after childbirth; these include Mothers and Infants Together (MINT) and the Residential Parenting Program (RPP). The MINT Program is a community residential program that aims to assist offenders during the last two months of pregnancy. Eligible inmates are transferred to a Residential Reentry Center and remain there for up to three months after birth to bond with their children before returning to the institution to complete their sentence. Inmates may be permitted to stay longer. MINT locations include Phoenix, AZ; Tallahassee, FL; Springfield, IL; Fort Worth, TX; and Hillsboro, WV. RPP is offered to pregnant inmates through the Washington Department of Corrections (WADOC). RPP allows minimum security inmates with a sentence of less than 30 months the opportunity to reside with their babies after birth in a supervised environment for up to 30 months. During this time, the mothers also receive a variety of services such a mental health, medical care, vocational training, and child care.

Policy

The Program Statement, Female Offender Manual , is the agency's primary policy addressing the management of incarcerated women. The agency also issued an Operations Memorandum requiring all female sites provide five types of feminine hygiene products to inmates free-of-charge.

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Female offenders are provided appropriate programs and services to meet their physical, social, and psychological needs Of the nearly 152,000 federal offenders, women consistently account for approximately 7 percent of the federal inmate population. While nationwide, women are a growing correctional population, women in the Bureau have comprised a steady proportion of the overall population.

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New medium of sales  such as online platforms for trade were coming into play during the pandemic.

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Dawn is still many hours away when Jobin Ouseph leaves, at 3 am from his home at Valiyathura, a picturesque coastal village in Thiruvananthapuram district, for the hustle and bustle of the fish auctioneering market at Vizhinjam. There, country boats have landed with the early morning catch. After frenetic bidding, he takes home seer (neymeen) and sailfish (thala). By 7.30 am, the tech-savvy entrepreneur updates his customers about the day's catch on Pachameen, a WhatsApp group with 250 customers. By 10.30 am, he and his cousin are ready to deliver the fish, cleaned and cut.

It has been hardly two months since Jobin, son of a fisherman, started Pachameen. The 23-year-old is among several others from the coastal areas in the district who started home delivery of fish when the markets were closed during the lockdown caused by the pandemic.

Testing the waters

An essential staple for many residents in Kerala's capital city, fish was hard to come by in the initial days of the lockdown. But soon social media was flooded with vendors, who needed just a Facebook page and a WhatsApp number to start home delivery of fresh fish. "It has been my dream to start my own business venture. Having worked with a food delivery service for a year, I knew how to go about it. The lockdown was an opportunity to test the waters and it clicked," says Jobin, a student of MBA.

Siblings Mohammed Rafi and Mohammed Althaf from Vizhinjam too decided to swim with the tide during the lockdown. "With nothing much to do during that period, we decided to sell fish online. Initially, our customers were friends and relatives. But when we realised the business potential of what we had begun, we started posting details on a Facebook page. Although we are only a few weeks old in the business and haven't finalised even a name for it, we have got enough customers to keep it afloat. There has been a surge in the demand for fresh fish after stale fish was confiscated in large quantities. And we cashed in on that opportunity," adds Althaf.

In the case of Manoj Henal Silva, founder of Fish Story, it was the disparity in prices that "forced" him to start the venture. "My family has been in the fisheries sector for several decades and we have been supplying fish to governmentas well as private enterprises, who also do home delivery. We decided to enter the fray when we realised that, suddenly, there were so many players in the field and they were charging according to their whims and fancies," says Manoj.

Besides Vizhinjam, the vendors concentrate on landing centres at Poonthura, Valiyathura and Perumathura. It's not an easy job though. "Since we don't know when the boats will bring in the fish, we've arranged for people at different landing centres to inform us when the catch arrives. It could be around midnight or in the wee hours of the morning," says Vivek Vijayan, who runs Innathe Pacha Meen with his brothers Vaishak Vijayan and Vishak Vijayan.

He adds that Innathe Pacha Meen has tripled its customer base after the lockdown. "We had four WhatsApp groups before the lockdown. Now we have 12. I started this on a trial basis with my brothers a year ago when we were on a break from our jobs in the UAE. Since our father is a fish auctioneer, we had a smooth run and we decided to stay back. The lockdown has pushed sales beyond our expectations," says 24-year-old Vivek.

It's friends and family who pitch in to collect, clean pack and deliver the fish. Cleaning charge is usually ₹20 and the delivery charges come in the rage of ₹20 to 40, depending on the distance to be covered. Some of them supply the fish in neat plastic containers that have to be cleaned and returned.

Meanwhile there are people like Appu R Nair who launched home delivery service of fish to tap into the huge demand for fresh seafood. "We have been planning to roll out a service for sometime now. With people forced to stay indoors during the lockdown, it was not difficult for us to make inroads into the business," says Appu, director of Fish Tales based in Vizhinjam.

Unpredictability factor

Regarding the challenges, Vivek points to the unpredictability of the catch. Jobin adds, "There have been days when I didn't bid for any fish because of exorbitant rates. With so many vendors coming in, there is competition at the landing centres. It is better to start on a small scale," Jobin says.

Moreover, their rates are often compared with those of fish in the market. "Most of these markets sell stock that comes from Tamil Nadu whereas we supply fresh catch of the day," Vivek points out. Also, there have been instances when traditional fish-sellers have raised objections against online vendors. "These sellers, comprising mainly women, compete among themselves and and naturally they get upset when we end up winning a bid," Jobin says.

Some of the newly minted entrepreneurs have plans to expand their network by covering more places in the district. "We are getting enquiries from Attingal and suburbs in the district. So we are working on the logistics," Vivek adds.

Now that they have proved that they are no fish out of water when it comes to innovative business practices, all eyes are on them to find out how they develop their enterprises.

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How fish markets opened on Facebook and WhatsApp during the lockdown in Kerala's capital

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Dawn is still many hours away when Jobin Ouseph leaves, at 3 am from his home at Valiyathura, a picturesque coastal village in Thiruvananthapuram district, for the hustle and bustle of the fish auctioneering market at Vizhinjam. There, country boats have landed with the early morning catch.

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Date:23 Aug, 2019

Author and Article name:Shahina KK ,Kerala’s Fishing Community: In Deep Waters.

Individual Summary/Insights-When we met Christudas at his home in Valiathura near Thiruvananthapuram, he was yet to recover from the trauma of coming face to face with death.On July 17th, when he and three others left in a fibre boat and it turned upside down and they were lost in sea for 4 days.

-  They were sent to the hospital of the medical college in the region where they encountered apathy and negligence. “We hadn’t had food and water for four days. I was unable to walk. I was still asked to go for the X-ray and scanning by myself. I was not even given a bed,” he said.

- After waiting a couple of hours in the hospital, Christudas walked out and came home. Local political leaders and police rushed to his place after the media reported how he had been treated.

-No sustainable long-standing solutions have been looked into for their hardships, whether it is sea erosion, loss of housing and livelihood, debt trap, poverty and all sorts of social and economic marginalisation.P Stellus, president of KSMTF

-Falling prey to private moneylenders at usurious interest rates is a common problem among Kerala’s fishermen and the government says it can’t do anything about it. “We are helpless in this matter. We can only consider waiving off the money borrowed from public sector banks and cooperatives, but we are aware that this is a serious problem that pushes the community further into the margins,” says P Vijayalakshmi

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Kerala's fishing community, the first to volunteer for rescue and relief operations during floods, is plagued by social and economic marginalisation

Shahina KK | 23 Aug, 2019

Fishermen prepare their boats at Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram, August 21 (Photo: Sajith Gopal)

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Kerala's Fishing Community: In Deep Waters - Open The Magazine

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A YEAR AGO, when unprecedented floods sank large swathes of Kerala, the state's fishing community rescued thousands, keeping the death toll low amid the devastation. And when heavy rains this month led to flooding for four days from August 8th, they didn't hesitate either. In many parts of northern Kerala, the 'fishermen army' arrived with ...

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Since its inception over two decades ago, the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Port has witnessed sharp divisions over its viability and utility. On the one hand are questions regarding the socioeconomic and ecological impact of constructing the port together with ambivalence regarding its usefulness. On the other hand are determined justifications in favor of the benefits that would accrue to the state of Kerala and its people in terms of a much-needed developmental boost and the creation of jobs, along with arguments that construction will have limited adverse impacts.

A public-private partnership (PPP) undertaking by the state government of Kerala and the Adani Group, the Vizhinjam port project is scheduled to be completed by December 2019, and has taken on an ambitious target of opening up its first phase of operations by the latter half of next year. Initially the port project, which commenced its construction in 2015, was expected to have been completed by September 2018 - the delay has been attributed to the damage caused by the 2017 Ockhi cyclone and a substantial shortage of stones required for construction.
The Case for Vizhinjam
Realization of the port has been touted as a game changer for the fortunes of Kerala. At current prices, Kerala's primary sector recorded the highest growth rate of 13.25 percent in 2016-17 compared to its secondary and tertiary sectors, which grew at 9.72 percent and 3.74 percent respectively. Currently, coir, cashew processing, and seafood are the major industries in Kerala. Thus the economic need for Vizhinjam Port cannot be denied.

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The Case Against
Container shipping volumes in the Indian Sub Continent (ISC) region have gone up from 4.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 1997 to 14.7 million TEUs in 2008. According to the International Finance Corporation Report to the government of Kerala on the Vizhinjam port, more than 50 percent of the container traffic in the region is under the purview of the west coast of India. Hence, theoretically, Vizhinjam has a lot going in its favor by virtue of its location along the East-West shipping route - one of the busiest in the world. Being developed as primarily a transshipment port, it stands to benefit from surging maritime traffic. The port would also have operational advantages thanks to its deep natural draft. Most importantly, it would potentially be able to put India on the global maritime map by stimulating gateway traffic from the hinterland and creating new supply-chain networks.

With there being an increased focus and emphasis on maritime commercial capability, India's central government is pushing forward with upgrading port infrastructure through schemes such as the SAGAR and Sagarmala. It is fitting that the country develop its capacities in line with global ports such as Singapore and Colombo. In order to make Vizhinjam port commercially viable, the port project is also set to receive viability gap funding from both the state and central government to the tune of 7.9 billion Indian rupees ($110 million). Additionally, the relaxation of cabotage laws should also encourage traffic.

However, the port project has run into controversy because of concerns related to the environment, which in turn stand to have a considerable impact on the livelihood of the local population. The clearance given for the construction is therefore being called into question for the following reasons.
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First, in the initial assessment, it was found that construction of the breakwater would not result in high tides, which could enhance erosion of the coastline as well as an adjacent highway in an area already identified as a high erosion zone. Part of the breakwater has been built and it has resulted in very high waves that have already begun to have an impact the coastline. According to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification of 2011, construction of ports is not permissible in coastal areas prone to high erosion.

Second, fishermen who live and fish beyond what is deemed by the state government as the project impact area claim that the construction will affect their livelihood nonetheless. They argue that the fish catch would be reduced due to the maritime traffic and the associated risks of coastal pollution. They also assert that they have to travel farther away from their earlier fishing sites due to coastal erosion, making their trade costlier. In fact, a local survey of the area shows that the fishing equipment and storage units occupy a considerably large amount of space adjoining the project site and a complete shifting of the fishing infrastructure might not be an economically viable option for the fishermen. Yet these fishermen did not receive the compensation that was given to those coming under the project impact area.

Green activists also stress that marine life would be threatened with loss of habitat, especially breeding grounds for mussels and lobsters, due to the dredging required for the project. Corals would be also affected by the increase in turbidity of the water.
The Final Analysis
Additionally, since the inception of the Vizhinjam harbor in the 1980s, the rehabilitation project for the fishermen has been marred by communal violence. Recent interviews with the local fishermen reveal that this small fishing village of Vizhinjam is notorious for communal clashes between the Christians and Muslims, which may have a harmful effect on the functioning of the port in this region. The last violent riots of 1995 over the construction of a church and a mosque ended with four people dead.

While the complaints against the project are being led by nongovernmental organizations, a public hearing of the environmental impact assessment report witnessed a greater degree of popular support in favour of the construction. The Kerala state government maintains that adequate cognizance was taken and assessments made of the socioeconomic and ecological impact, with remedial measures planned for both short- and long-term effects.
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The government has also refuted a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the port, which estimated that the Adani Group will reap undue profit from the project. Proponents of Vizhinjam port say that sufficient details have not been provided by the state government, which skewed the findings of the report. The CAG itself has also observed that the costs of the project are subject to inflation and so the technical and financial estimates may not be accurate - with the discrepancies being in Kerala's favor.

As far as the economic viability of this project is concerned, Vizhinjam is set to face stiff competition, mainly from Sri Lanka's Colombo Port, which accounts for 35 percent of the transshipment traffic in the ISC region. Plus, the International Finance Corporation report categorically mentions that the current demand-supply situation in the lower west coast of India had led to underutilization of existing capacities. Hence, Vizhinjam port, which substantially adds to this capacity, may need some time to be optimally utilized by the expected traffic growth in the next decade.
Soumya Bhowmick is a Junior Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, Kolkata. Pratnashree Basu is an Associate Fellow, ORF Kolkata.
In the light of such considerations, the 75.25 billion rupee investment in the project needs to be objectively assessed so that the ensuing benefits of the project could help to dispel propaganda and instead make way for a clearer understanding of what the port project would actually entail.

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Is India's Vizhinjam Port Plan Worth It?

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Advertisement Since its inception over two decades ago, the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Port has witnessed sharp divisions over its viability and utility. On the one hand are questions regarding the socioeconomic and ecological impact of constructing the port together with ambivalence regarding its usefulness.

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Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, Vizhinjam - Balaramapuram Road, Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Kerala, India

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Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, Vizhinjam - Balaramapuram Road, Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Kerala, India

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Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, Vizhinjam - Balaramapuram Road, Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Kerala, India

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Nov 02, 2017
The report talks about community's protest against damage to their homes and their demand for implementation of the rehabilitation package led by the parish council of the Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, which has the support of over 17,000 people from 4,000 fishing families.

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In the last nine days, the fishing community in Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala has stalled construction of a deep-water multi-purpose sea port, a public private partnership project between Kerala government and the Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited. They are protesting against damage to 100 homes and demanding immediate implementation of the rehabilitation package. The fisherfolk - a large number of them women - have blocked the road at the project site with old boats since the protests started on October 24.

The agitation is led by the parish council of the Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, which has the support of over 17,000 people from 4,000 fishing families. The council had welcomed the project when the Congress-led government had made the proposal in 2012, even as people living in nearby villages opposed it. In June, the construction of a 3.5-km-long breakwaters, or barriers in the middle of the sea to tame the waves and ensure tranquil waters, began. But after the fishing community complained of unusually strong currents hitting the harbour as a result of the construction and damaging more than 100 homes and 10 boats and injuring many people, the parish council withdrew its support to the project.

Parish priest and parish council president Father Wilfred said residents had taken to the streets only after the port construction began to affect them directly. "We hoped it [the project] would bring prosperity to Vizhinjam," he said. "But nothing has happened so far."

He added, "Residents have been demanding implementation of the rehabilitation package announced by the government in 2015. We want to discuss all these issue with the government and settle the matter amicably. But the government has not shown any interest."

On Monday, the district collector of Thiruvananthapuram appealed to the fishermen to stop their protest if they wanted a discussion with the government. But the protestors held firm.

Dr Jayakumar, director and chief executive officer of Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited, the implementing agency for the port, however, said the construction had not displaced any people and the government had not promised any rehabilitation package. "The people were misguided by people with vested interests," he claimed.

But he added that "the government has promised financial aid to those who lost their livelihoods. We have already distributed Rs 5.6 lakhs each for 178 fishers". He also said a review was underway to see if people eligible for compensation had been left out.

Project authority denies charges

Rejecting the claim that the construction of the breakwaters had damaged homes, Jayakumar said, "An expert team from the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai checked the damage [to the homes] and found out that those were old cracks." About the damage to the boats, he said, "Waves enter directly into the harbour and cause damage. It happens at all ports. It has nothing to do with the breakwater construction."

He went on to say, "What we conducted recently was test piling on land. The actual piling will be done in the sea."

Piling is the process by which a deep foundation of wood, concrete or steel is built by drilling it deep into the earth.

He also said the project had the approval of the National Green Tribunal and that it would not have an adverse environmental impact on Vizhinjam.

Controversial from the start

This is not the first time the Vizhinjam port has run into trouble. There was opposition almost as soon as the Congress-led government floated tenders for a public-private partnership project on December 3, 2012. The project received environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in January 2014 and on July 13, 2015, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited won the contract through an international bidding process.

The same year, activists filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal - which decides on matters pertaining to the protection of the environment and natural resources - on behalf of residents. They sought withdrawal of the environmental clearance to the project, claiming legal procedures had not been followed to obtain it. They also argued that the port construction would cause sea erosion and damage the coast's marine wealth.

The tribunal did not find any merit in their claims, though, and in its final verdict on September 2, 2016, refused to cancel the environmental approval. But it set up a seven-member expert committee to monitor compliance with the conditions of the environmental clearance, and sought a report every six months.

While the controversy surrounding the project had at first revolved around its environmental impact, it took a political turn in May this year with the Comptroller and Auditor General stating that the contract went against the interests of the state government and heavily favoured the Adani group, which would earn an additional Rs 29,217 crores in revenue as a result of certain conditions.

Beach erosion has destroyed hundreds of homes in Kerala's coastal villages. Opponents of the Vizhinjam port project say it will lead to sea erosion. (Credit: TA Ameerudheen)

'Fishery wealth at risk'

Meanwhile, the protests against the project are gaining momentum. "Our anxieties grow with the port construction," said parish council secretary Issac Johny, calling on the government to understand the hardships of the people. He said, "I don't know how residents will respond when Vizhinjam becomes an unliveable place."

Voicing the concern of numerous residents like him, Arul Das said, "We are living under the threat of sea erosion thanks to the construction of the breakwater. It will eventually damage our fishery wealth."

He also said people who had once supported the project were now against it. "They didn't get the promised jobs during construction work," he explained. "Adani employed only migrant labourers."

AJ Vijayan, founder-member of the National Fish Workers' Forum, a union for small and traditional fishermen, was among the complainants who moved the National Green Tribunal against the project. He said he had expected protests to break out when the port construction gathered pace, but not so quickly.

He added, "The life of fishers will become miserable when the actual piling begins. This issue cannot be resolved with compensation packages."

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Fishermen stall construction of Adani port in Kerala demanding rehabilitation for damaged homes

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In the last nine days, the fishing community in Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala has stalled construction of a deep-water multi-purpose sea port, a public private partnership project between Kerala government and the Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited. They are protesting against damage to 100 homes and demanding immediate implementation of the rehabilitation package.

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Vizhinjam Old Portuguese Church, Vizhinjam, Kerala, India

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Vizhinjam Old Portuguese Church, Vizhinjam, Kerala, India

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Vizhinjam Old Portuguese Church, Vizhinjam, Kerala, India

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2020
Economic promises not met

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The fishermen allege that the Adani group has failed to keep the promises given to them as a part of the compensation scheme announced when the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project began.

Fisher folk in Kerala's coastal village of Vuzhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram began their protest against the construction of the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project by Adani Enterprises Ltd on October 5 for the second time. The fishermen say that the construction activity and the debris due to dredging, has impacted their ability to find fish in the area, thus affecting their livelihood and of those who sell fish at the local markets.

The fisher folk allege that the Rs 296.6 crore compensation package announced for the farmers in 2015 has not been disbursed adequately, leaving many of them out of the compensation scheme.

The first protest was held in 2016, followed by a one-day agitation in 2019. With no proper response from the government, the fishermen have begun the protest again, which still continues. Four fishermen sit down in protest at a time, near the construction site, in order to follow the physical distancing norms.

"Unscientific dredging" and loss of livelihood

"One of the major promises made to us that we would get jobs. There have not been any jobs. The fishermen who engage in fishing without venturing far into the sea have no income because we can't find fish here anymore because of the dredging and piling activity due to the construction. This has affected the women fish vendors who buy fish from the fishermen too," said Pani Adima, who has been in the forefront of the protest.

The fisher folk claim that the dredging has affected the natural habitat of the fish located closer to the shore, especially in Vizhinjam and nearby regions like Muthalappozhi. "This has been caused by the unscientific dredging. This has also in turn affected fishing and the livelihood of fishermen," Pani Adima says.

However an official with the Port implementing agency said that Rs 83 crore of the compensation had already been disbursed and the government is in the process of compensating the rest of the fishermen.

"No one is against giving the people the benefits they deserve, but there are certain criteria set by the government. There is a committee headed by the Revenue Divisional Officer and another headed by the District Collector in which Fisheries Director and Matsyafed Managing Director are members to redress the complaints of the people. Rs 83 crore has been dispersed as compensation. Those who are left out are those who didn't present documents," the official said.

The official further stated that a decision was made to distribute free kerosene to the fishermen and it was distributed for two years. However, for the last 10 months, the distribution stopped as the price of kerosene rose. "Compensation should be within the limit of the amount that has been fixed," the official added.

Damage to property

The protesters claimed that the drilling activity has resulted in damage to several houses in the village. Pani Adima said that 242 houses have been damaged so far but no compensation was given to the home owners.

"The compensation package was announced in September 2015 and it has been years now. It has not been disbursed properly. Affected people haven't been rehabilitated, no jobs have been given for those who lost their livelihood, no compensation has been given, affected people haven't been rehabilitated, no colleges were built, no new courses were introduced and schools were not upgraded as promised," Pani Adima added.

However the official denied the protesters claims that their houses were damaged and said that an inspection team had found "crack" on several houses.

"There was a test done before the work began and there were cracks on houses. A team of experts examined the cracks but found that the piling vibrations were well within the permissible limits, which couldn't have caused the cracks. But compensation has been given to them and they are not happy with the amount. There is no stepping back. Only genuine concerns of the people will be addressed," the official said.

Also Read: Adani's Kerala port project stalled as local residents launch protest
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Why Kerala fishermen are protesting against the Vizhinjam port construction again

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Fisher folk in Kerala's coastal village of Vuzhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram began their protest against the construction of the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project by Adani Enterprises Ltd on October 5 for the second time.

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Vizhinjam Harbour Road, കോവളം, കേരളം 695521, India

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April 17 2020

Mathrubhumi News/Youtube

T'puram: The fishing community in Vizhinjam has decided to stop fishing due to the loss caused by the ongoing lockdown.

Due to Covid 19 situation the government had made some restrictions on fishing and selling of it,auction is now stopped by the govt which they have to follow the port welfare committee for selling  which they are saying the sale is not beneficial and worthfull.So they stopped going sea and protesting for their rights.

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Lockdown Crisis: Fishing Community Decides To Stop Fishing In Vizhinjam| Mathrubhumi News

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Kottappuram Rd, Kovalam, Kerala 695521, India

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Socio-Economic changes at Vizhinjam after Cyclone Ockhi.

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Socio-Economic changes at Vizhinjam after Cyclone Ockhi.

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The article talks about the Socio-Economic impacts happened after Cyclone Ockhi. It is mainly focusing on how government is treating them in the basis of policies, compensations etc..

Many protests were held in these villages immediately after Ockhi – first to demand that the government intensify rescue operations and later to push for higher financial support for the dead and injured. A year later, there is resentment against the government on a number of issues. These include conditions attached to the compensation amount, a perception that the injured have been left to fend for themselves, and claims that the government has not given the widows of fishermen the jobs they were promised.

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No one expected Lawrence Bernard to return home from the sea when Cyclone Ockhi hit coastal Kerala last November. The 48-year-old fisherman was missing for over three days after it struck. During that time, he was clinging to his capsized boat in the cold waters of the Arabian Sea, braving monster waves that had paralysed his lower body and shattered his ear drums. He was eventually rescued by a foreign merchant ship.

Bernard's joy knew no bounds when he finally returned home to Poonthura village in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram district, where he spent three days being treated at the Government Medical College. But a year after his miraculous escape, he wonders if it would have been better if he had died at sea. "I am a living dead," said Bernard from his bed on Friday. "I cannot work. I cannot move on my own. Back pain and vertigo attacks have ruined my life. Did God save me from Ockhi to undergo all these hardships? My family would have got government support if I had died at sea."

Cyclone Ockhi, which battered Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu and Kerala on November 29, 2017, before heading towards Gujarat, had killed 143 fishermen in Kerala. Only 52 bodies could be recovered, while the remaining 91 missing fishermen were declared dead.

Since then, the Kerala government has spent Rs 202 crore to support affected families, rebuild coastal villages and help the fishing industry return to normalcy. This sum includes the Rs 20 lakh the government provided to the immediate relatives of each deceased fisherman as compensation, and monetary assistance for those who were injured and whose boats were damaged. Bernard, for instance, received Rs 10,000 as financial assistance after he was discharged from hospital.

Poonthura and Vizhinjam fishing villages in Thiruvananthapuram district bore the brunt of the cyclone. Together they accounted for half the deaths recorded in the state - 35 fishermen from Poonthura and 37 from Vizhinjam. Bernard is one of the 153 survivors from the two villages.

Many protests were held in these villages immediately after Ockhi - first to demand that the government intensify rescue operations and later to push for higher financial support for the dead and injured. A year later, there is resentment against the government on a number of issues. These include conditions attached to the compensation amount, a perception that the injured have been left to fend for themselves, and claims that the government has not given the widows of fishermen the jobs they were promised.

In this past year, these villages have also seen far-reaching socio-economic changes because of Ockhi. Several fishermen have quit fishing out of fear or are taking an extended break from the sea. This has had a domino effect on the fishing industry that the economies of the two villages are so dependent upon.

Fisherman Lawrence Bernard finds it difficult to stand without assistance.

Right to compensation

One of the biggest grouses the families of the dead fishermen have are related to the conditions the government has attached to the compensation amount.

The sum of Rs 20 lakh was equally divided among the parents, wife, children, and unwed sisters of the dead fishermen. According to the terms of disbursement, the sum was converted into a bank fixed deposit for five years. The beneficiaries receive the interest earned on that deposit in monthly instalments. In families where the deceased fishermen had children, the principal amount can only be withdrawn for their marriage. It is not clear when the parents and widows of fishermen who died without children can withdraw the lump sum.

The families say that the government should allow them to withdraw their entire share to settle their debts as that helps them more financially.

Vizhinjam resident Blasita Pathrose, 56, who lost her son Sebastiaradima alias Sebastian, 36, received one fourth of the compensation amount, or Rs 5 lakh. Sebastian's wife and two children were the other beneficiaries. "I get monthly interest of Rs 3,500, but I pay Rs 4,000 as rent for the place where I live with my daughter," she said. "I never faced financial difficulties when my son was alive. I would have bought a house if the government allowed me to withdraw my share."

Muthappan Aralappan and Elsy at their rented home in Vizhinjam. A photo of their son John Muthappan and his cousin Rajan Lawrence - both of whom died in Cyclone Ockhi - hangs on the wall.

Muthappan Alarappan and his wife Elsy, also from Vizhinjam, lost their youngest son John Muthappan, 29, to Ockhi. His body was not recovered. "John lived with us in this rented house," said 55-year-old Alarappan looking at his son's photograph hanging on a wall of their home. "He used to take care of all our needs." The couple pays Rs 2,000 a month to rent their tiny asbestos-roofed home. "We get Rs 14,000 as interest from the fixed deposit, which is a big support," said Elsy. "But we should be allowed to withdraw it. It will help us buy our own house."

Leaders of the Catholic Church, which wields a lot of clout in Thiruvananthapuram's Christian-dominated coastal villages, have also demanded that the state allow relatives of the victims to withdraw the entire compensation amount. "The government should hand over at least half of the money to the relatives," said Issac Johny, secretary of the parish council at the Our Lady of Good Voyage Church in Vizhinjam. "It will help them pay their debts and relocate from rented homes." The parish council comprises priests and lay people and runs the daily affairs of the church.

Father Bebinson, the vicar of St Thomas Church in Poonthura, agreed. "Parents of the victims do not have any other sources of income," he said. "They pay rent from the interest they receive. They could relocate to their own home if the government allows them to withdraw the amount."

Blasita Pathrose (right) and Albera Anthony in Vizhinjam. Pathrose lost her son Sebastiaradima alias Sebastian and Anthony lost her son Christiadima to Cyclone Ockhi.

Fear factor

There are also demands for the government to compensate fishermen for the loss of work due to bad weather. Bebinson said fishermen lost more than 80 days of work in 2018 due to adverse weather warnings. "The government should compensate them with free ration for loss of working days," he said.

But some fishermen have also been avoiding the sea because they are fearful, and this has had a cascading effect on the fishing economy here.

For instance, on November 17, when the India Meterological Department issued a warning asking Kerala's fishermen to not venture out to sea for four days because of Cyclone Gaja, very few fishing boats left the Vizhinjam and Poonthura harbours after that period ended. The majority of fishermen wanted to wait three more days until the effects of Gaja, which had wreaked havoc in Tamil Nadu, had completely subsided. "Fear has gripped Poonthura after Ockhi," said Bebinson. "Fishermen do not want to risk their lives anymore."

Some fishermen were not ashamed to admit this. They said they are now obsessed with weather warnings and decide not to go fishing even if there was a mild warning.

Joseph Francis, 37, was one of them. He began fishing at the age of 15 and is known as the bravest fisherman in Poonthura. But after a close shave during Ockhi, Francis does not want to risk his life anymore. "Ockhi drained all my courage," he said. "Earlier, I never missed a day. Now I work one or two days in a week. I am wary of even small waves now."

Some have abandoned fishing completely.

Selban Paniyadima, 55, and Delbow Susamariya, 49, both from Poonthura village, spent three days in the sea holding onto a capsized boat after Ockhi struck. "I am afraid of the sea now," said Paniyadima. "Waves increase my heartbeats. So I decided to stop working."

Susamariya said his decision to quit fishing was the "hardest decision of my life" but he did not have an option as he did not have the strength to face the sea again.

The majority of such fishermen now ply auto-rickshaws for a living.

Vizhinjam resident Marya John, 35, who had a narrow escape during Ockhi, has not stepped into a boat in a year. "I am scared," he said. "My family also asked me not to risk my life so I opted for a less dangerous job." John bought an auto-rickshaw in December, learnt to drive with the help of a friend, got his license, and began working as an auto-rickshaw driver in February. "I will continue with this job till I conquer my fear for the sea," he said.

Forty-one-year old Maxwell Alphonse of Poonthura bought an auto-rickshaw after he realised that he did not have the heart to continue fishing any more. Though he was at home during Ockhi, he joined a search team to find missing fishermen after the storm abated. "I fished out a couple of dead bodies," he said. "That was a depressing experience." But Alphonse said that he would resume fishing again. "Plying an auto-rickshaw is just a stop-gap arrangement," he said.

According to Bebinson, the number of auto-rickshaws in Poonthura has increased from 90 to 170 in just one year.

Joseph Francis, a fisherman from Poonthura, says he does not want to risk his life out at sea anymore.

Blow to the market

All this has affected the market related to the fishing business. Local businesspersons say the sale of fishing-related paraphernalia - kerosene, engine oil, fishing nets - have not picked up since Ockhi.

Binu Gouris, who owns a shipping material store in Vizhinjam, said his daily sales of engine oil have declined to one-third of the quantity sold in the corresponding period last year. He attributes this to the fall in the number of boats heading to sea. "I used to sell 75 five-litre cans of engine oil every day," he said, showing this corespondent his ledger. "It has come down to just 15 cans now."

Thadayoos Maryadas owns a boat manufacturing yard in Vizhinjam in which more than 500 boats have been built over the last 20 years. Business is bad, he said, with hardly any demand for new boats. At the end of November, Maryadas was building his sixth boat of the year. Last year, he built 20 boats. "The numbers speak for themselves," he said.

Business in one commodity is booming in Poonthura and Vizhinjam: wireless sets. Owners of fishing vessels, which usually travel about 30 nautical miles into the sea, are ordering new sets to be fitted in their vessels (the bigger boats already have them). The owners register the radio frequency with the Coast Guard and coastal police, who can alert them about bad weather conditions even while they are at sea. Each set costs between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000.

Belhar Antony recently bought one such set. He said he would not have had to if the state government had kept its promise of distributing to fishermen Navic, the autonomous regional satellite navigation system developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation.

But M Tajudeen, deputy director at the fisheries department, said the government will soon provide fishermen with navigation sets, satellite phones and life jackets. "The government has sanctioned Rs 25.36 crore to provide 15,000 fishing vessels with Navic," said Tajudeen. "The system will warn fishermen about weather forecasts and potential fishing zones in the 1,500 km rage from the coast."

Fishermen prepare for their next trip in Poonthura village.

'Give jobs'

Besides complaints related to the compensation amount, relatives of fishermen killed by Ockhi want the government to provide them with jobs.

Tajudeen claimed that the government has provided jobs to widows of deceased fishermen. "We have selected women below 40 years who passed matriculation," he said. "We will provide jobs for more women soon."

However, some residents of the fishing villages are sceptical about this promise. "We don't know how the beneficiaries were selected," said Elsy, mother of John Muthappan. "I have applied for a job but haven't got any reply so far." She said age should not be a constraint for jobs. "We lost the sole breadwinner of my family," said Elsy. "Now I have no option but to work. The government should consider this and not age to select people for jobs."

Geetha with her husband Michael at their home in Poonthura.

Others said that the wives of critically injured fishermen should be considered for jobs too. Poonthura resident Geetha, 36, said she was financially dependent on her relatives after her husband Michael, 47, was paralysed during Ockhi. At present, Geetha and his nephew take care of him. "I don't know how I will live," said Geetha. "I hope the government will support me."

Despite their other complaints, the villagers appreciated the government's initiative to provide free education and vocational training to the children of fishermen who died or went missing. "This is a blessing for us," said Blasita Pathrose. "My grandchildren have received the financial assistance."

Thadayoos Maryadas at his boat manufacturing unit in Vizhinjam.

Flood relief

Even as they struggled to rebuild their lives since Ockhi, fishermen from Poonthura and Vizhinjam stepped in to help when Kerala was reeling under floods in August. They were among the fishermen who voluntarily took their boats to the marooned inland areas and rescued thousands of people stranded for days.

"We didn't think twice when we came to know the gravity of the situation," said Joseph Francis in Poonthura. He and his friends worked for three days straight to rescue people in Chengannur, one of the worst-affected areas. "Our boat rescued more than 500 people," he said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recognised the contribution of fishermen like Francis at a function to honour them in Thiruvananthapuram in August. He said that they did not think of their own safety, their families or any other monetary gains from the government when they joined in the rescue operations.

Joseph said the people of Kerala did not pay much attention to their plight after Cyclone Ockhi. "But we could not leave our brothers and sisters at the time of a natural calamity," he said.

Vizhinjam resident Blasita Pathrose prays at the grave of her son Sebastian, a fisherman who lost his life due to Cyclone Ockhi in November 2017.

All photographs by TA Ameerudheen.

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One year after Cyclone Ockhi, Kerala's fishing families are still struggling to rebuild their lives

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No one expected Lawrence Bernard to return home from the sea when Cyclone Ockhi hit coastal Kerala last November. The 48-year-old fisherman was missing for over three days after it struck.

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Vizhinjam Harbour Rd, Kerala 695521, India

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Vizhinjam Harbour Rd, Kerala 695521, India

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Vizhinjam Harbour Rd, Kerala 695521, India

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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019
The report says that promises of the community made as part of the project have not been met. The article also provides issues of water scarcity and lack of healthcare systems faced by the community.

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With the first phase of Vizhinjam port to be completed soon, fishermen allege impact on the environment and on their livelihoods has been ignored.

Pics: Sreekesh Raveendran Nair

Adani Enterprises Limited on February 25 won the bid to manage and operate the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after it quoted the highest price among all financial bids. However, four years ago, in August 2015, Adani group, the Gujarat-based corporate giant had signed the work contract agreement for development of the Rs 7,252 crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project.

The first phase of the project, which fishermen of the area in Thiruvananathapuram had welcomed as their dream project, is expected to be completed within months. But the fishermen allege that the promises made as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of the project, have not been completely met.

The work of the project had been stalled in October 2017 owing to the local people's protest. The protest was called off with the intervention of the authorities after deliberations with District Collector G Vasuki. Still, the locals say that the environmental impact as well as the effect on livelihoods of fishermen, are ignored by the port authorities and by the state government.

"The package announced for shore fishermen has not been fully disbursed yet. Though the rehabilitation package for the fishermen who are using Katta Maram (multiple pieces of tied wood) was fixed at Rs 5,60,000 and has been distributed in three phases, the amount for the fishermen using sea fishing nets has not been fully distributed yet," says Pani Adima, the one who led the protests in 2017.

He adds, "The piling has caused cracks at several homes, on the walls and serious damage to some houses which are old. Proper maintenance for the houses should be done or alternative arrangements should be made for the people whose houses are damaged. The people were given Rs 5000 and Rs 1000 for maintenance of the houses but that is not even sufficient to buy the cement needed for the work."

According to the leader of the fishermen community, there was a 20-item package which was announced to be implemented simultaneously along with the completion of the port project, which also hasn't materialised so far.

"There was a promise for building Veli to Kollamkode coastal road; but Vizhinjam has been excluded in the alignment for that. There was a promise of setting up a self-help group for women, to address the water scarcity problem of Vizhinjam, along with other social responsibility projects in the 20-item list. The first phase of the port will be completed soon but several commitments to the fishing community are yet to be realised," he further says.

Water scarcity is acute in the area during summer. Though the Adani group has installed water tanks to address the issues, the local people say that the water is not usable for drinking but is used for other purposes.

Though the port group had started a mobile health care centre for the local people, they complain that there are no doctors and a nursing assistant is doubling up as a doctor.

They also reiterate the allegation that the port construction was commenced ignoring the study reports on the environmental impact of the dredging on the coastal regions and on the marine life.

During last July-August, the seas were unusually rough, something which we haven't ever experienced. As a result, the small boats anchored on the shore got damaged. The construction of breakwater walls has led to unusual behaviour of the sea, it is believed.

"The construction of 400-meter breakwater from Panathura to Valiyathura in the nearby regions is causing frequent accidents, and Adimalathura is a no-fishing zone now because of the changed behaviour of the sea. Then, imagine the impact of the four-kilometre breakwater walls they have constructed in Vizhinjam," says Judin Jarlie, another resident.

Justin Zakharias says appropriate rehabilitation for the fishermen community is not being done.

"With dredging adversely affecting the marine life, some fishermen have switched over to other jobs. But that is not a permanent solution. How they will be rehabilitated in the long run is the big question. The small boats that are anchored on the shore get damaged in the rough seas. The fishermen don't get much fish when they don't venture into the deep sea. Hence, provide trawling boats to all of them," he says.

The local people have been offered jobs like security guards at the port authority office. "However, there are graduates and even PhD holders in Vizhinjam, who have not been given jobs," says Judice.

However, Managing Director and CEO of Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL), Jayakumar refuted the allegations. "There are annual reports on what all has been done for the fishermen community. It is not the Adani group but the state government which is doing rehabilitation and resettlement. For the livelihood assessment impact, the government has set up committees. There is a livelihood impact assessment committee and a higher committee of which the district collector is chairman. There are more than 18,000 applications we have received seeking compensation. The compensation package has been mostly disbursed. We are processing the rest of the applications. More than Rs 70 crore has been disbursed for livelihood loss of fishermen," he told TNM.

He also said that there is no sea erosion because of this developmental activity and the works are being done according to environmental clearance orders. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has very clearly given the go ahead, and a statutory committee has been constituted to submit a report to NGT once in six months. Regarding the allegation that no qualified people have been employed for work, he says that the port group has said that a list of people has to be submitted and local people will be chosen, given training and jobs once the port is functional and as per their requirement.
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Why has the Adani Group not kept its CSR promises, Kerala fishermen ask

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Adani Enterprises Limited on February 25 won the bid to manage and operate the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after it quoted the highest price among all financial bids. However, four years ago, in August 2015, Adani group, the Gujarat-based corporate giant had signed the work contract agreement for development of the Rs 7,252 crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project.

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The threats mukkuva community face's due to being neglected by the government. Their culture and livelihood is in question

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Coastal community's rendezvous with their destiny. Fishermen at Valiathura beach are getting ready for their daily fish catch, while other community members enjoy the evening beauty of the beach. Photo: Robert Panippilla, 2013

Marine biodiversity and cultural diversity are deeply interwoven in the coastal fishing communities of Trivandrum, Kerala, South India. This is the story of our ancestors, the story of our fellow community members; it's the story of our life! It's about our connection with the sea, the coast, and the marine environment.

We would like to tell you here how our forefathers have been safeguarding that environment and its bountiful resources. We would also like to talk about how our brothers and sisters, elders, and today's "educated" people are feeling compelled to follow the path of "modern developers" who have little concern for the biodiversity, the rich cultural heritage, and the environment that has sustained us through the centuries. And we would like to emphasize the rapid industrialization that leads to the destruction of social identity, culture, and marine wealth, and even of the livelihood of the people who inhabit these communities. We wonder why some of our highly educated community members are reluctant to speak the coastal language, take little or no pride in their cultural heritage and ancestry, or why they aren't acknowledging, supporting, and disseminating the coastal communities' efforts to conserve the marine biodiversity of the area.

Left: A variety of fish ready for cooking. An abundance of fresh fish is part of the Trivandrum fishermen's daily diet. Photo: Johnson Jament, 2014. Right: A day of happiness for fishermen. Fishermen at Valiathura have big smiles on their faces when they are able to amass their environmentally friendly fishing wealth. Photo: Robert Panippilla, 2013

There's little awareness about the biocultural diversity of the coast. In particular, politicians, academics, policy makers, and conservationists in India have shown minimal interest in the biodiversity of the sea and the cultural practices of the coastal communities. The coastal people are one of the most excluded, marginalized, and discriminated communities in India's most socially developed and literate state of Kerala. Our mother tongue - our coastal language, Kadappuram Bhasha - isn't considered to be worthy of recognition. Traditional fishermen's economic contributions aren't valued or promoted. Existing systems have provided limited initiatives to protect marine diversity despite the existence of a marine biodiversity register, which coastal people influence and participate in. In the official documentation and recordings of traditional knowledge, folklore, music, and songs, the coastal communities' representation is minimal. In school textbooks, the coastal communities don't even exist; there isn't a single story or text about fishermen's lives and culture. When there are discussions about environmental issues, the rich marine environment and ecosystems are often excluded.

Our mother tongue - our coastal language, Kadappuram Bhasha - is not considered to be worthy of recognition. Traditional fishermen's economic contributions are not valued or promoted.

In this context, it's important to stress the interconnection of the coastal communities with the marine environment and its ecosystems. Fishing in the deep sea is the main occupation of the people of this region. The fishermen use a range of nets, hooks, and other fishing techniques to catch a variety of fish species along with other aquatic animals. For surface-level fishing, netting is the principal method applied, while a line-fishing technique is used to catch the fish that dwell on the ocean bed. All these fishing techniques are based upon knowledge of the fish and their behavior, with an appreciation of their life span, migration, foraging, and habitat. These traditional methods don't involve destructive fishing practices, such as bottom trawling over vulnerable habitats. A sustainability principle used by these traditional harvesters of the sea is "do not kill fish eggs and marine ecosystems." Keeping to this principle, they don't own trawling boats. The purpose of their existence isn't making a profit, but rather maintaining a sustainable living and enjoying the beauty of freshness.

An environmentally friendly cooking style. A young lady, Judith Antony, is barbecuing fish (meen pollikkal) using locally available coconut tree resources. Photo: Johnson Jament, 2014

The wealth and health of the coastal communities is dependent upon their daily fish catch. That is their main source of income and sole economic activity; women are mostly engaged in direct fish selling and are responsible for making fish accessible for domestic use, hotels, and tourists. The community feels a sense of pride and satisfaction when they are able to catch adequate quantities of fish, and people become despondent and sad when their daily catch doesn't meet their needs. In their daily conversations they discuss the variety of fishes and different ways of catching them, and engage in debates about what type of fishing technique is appropriate for particular species in a given period of time. Fishing isn't only their occupational activity, but also a cultural activity.

Eating habits and the menu of the coastal communities change daily, depending on what's caught by the fishermen. They eat more food, and with greater variety, when supplies are plentiful, and eat less when the fishing is poor. Fisherwomen are traditionally in charge of the daily recipes and cuisines. Nutrition is generally good because of cooking and eating fresh fish and a variety of species. The health and life expectancy of the fishing community fluctuates due to their eating habits and fishing-related activities. The diet is full of delicious food with fish for two or three meals a day, mixed with locally produced tapioca and red rice imported from other parts of Kerala. Coastal communities organize marriages and commemorate their important days consistently with the availability of fish catches. These are people whose lifestyles are highly influenced by their engagement with marine biodiversity.

People also have a high regard for religious ceremony, and before they begin their fishing activities, they pray, "Give us today our daily bread." Depending on what situations they encounter on the sea, they say, Kenkadeviamma (local pronunciation of Gangadevi amma) kappathunke, meaning "Mother Goddess of Ganga, please protect us." The last day of the week is observed as Sabbath (which is Sunday in their context), a day of rest in which they abstain from going out to fish. They become stronger or weaker in their belief system depending on their daily fish catch and direct experiences at sea. That is, their beliefs are strengthened when their catch is good and sea going is easy, and weakened when the catch isn't good and they encounter trouble at sea. They may be seen lighting candles as thanksgiving and participating in religious activities and festivals when the fishing is abundant. When they have difficult experiences at sea and the catch isn't adequate, they express their anger and grief and blame their god for not responding to their needs and wants, the same way as they do when they have quarrels with their neighbors and other community members.

Preparing the nets for their daily "bread." A group of fishermen at Karumkulam beach are gearing up for the day's fishing venture. Photo: Johnson Jament, 2014

In the language of the coastal community, the sea is called kadal, and affectionately kadalamma (Mother Sea/Ocean). Hundreds of names of marine species, ecosystems, and habitats are found in the local language. With these names, it's possible to identify diversity between species and diversity within species. It's possible to document the extinction of species through recordings of the coastal language. Vattakkanni, elappaatti, naviya kathi are examples of endangered fish species. When a word for a given species disappears from the language, this suggests that the species itself has disappeared. The word paru is used for marine ecosystems and habitats. There are hundreds of such parus along the Trivandrum coast. The word cheru refers to a muddy area underwater. According to the fishermen's traditional knowledge, this is a type of fish habitat. And so on. The language embraces the richness of marine biodiversity.

By engaging in sustainable and environment-friendly fishing activities, coastal communities play a major role in the conservation of the marine environment of the Trivandrum coast. People hesitate allowing the use of nets that cause the destruction of fish eggs, fish hatchlings and other animals, and the local ecosystems. It's their unwritten law. They are against the extinction of fish and plant species and ecological destruction. Whenever dangerous activities come to light, they protest and discourage their fellow fishermen. It's their cultural value system.

Preparing the nets for their daily "bread". A group of fishermen at Karumkulam beach are gearing up for the day's fishing venture. Photo: Johnson Jament, 2014

In this way, biocultural diversity is their lives, traditions, histories, upbringing, and existence - ultimately, their very freedom. Their evolution as a community is linked to their cultural diversity, which is intrinsic to marine resources and their conservation and protection. The economic contributions and daily life interactions of coastal communities are dependent upon marine biodiversity, as are their socio-cultural resources, including their language, culture and history. Any change, displacement, or destruction of these would lead to the further exclusion, discrimination, and marginalisation of these communities.

In recent years, especially since the liberalization of the Indian economy in the 1990s, lots of changes have been happening in terms of marine biodiversity and the cultural diversity of the coastal communities. First, in place of different kinds of nets for catching various types of fish, a small group of fishermen has started taking advantage of valiya vala "big nets," which are able to catch all kinds of fishes, including those that haven't yet reached maturity. The operation of mechanized boats in the place of tholava (traditional boats made of locally available bamboo) has increased. Adakkam kolli vala, literally meaning "net killing all," has made its appearance. Fishfinder technology has been adopted in place of people's own insights, kaniyam ( kanicham).

Second, some community members have become negative to their coastal language, and show a reluctance to speak their mother tongue. More and more people are shifting to the dominant languages, English and Malayalam. The medium of instruction in schools is either Malayalam or English, and these languages become a prevalent social reality. The education system discourages local people from continuing their association with the sea and the marine environment. Educated people within the communities feel proud of their children not having experience with the sea, the coast, and those play and leisure activities traditionally associated with the beach. Slowly, we are going through the "extinction of experience" of the natural environment.

Third, coastal development has drastically changed the coastline. The shoreline north of Trivandrum has changed so much that there's now less and less beach, while the south end has gained more and more. Ecosystems change, and marine health becomes vulnerable. The State Government of Kerala dreams of developing a Vizhinjam Trans-shipment Container Port project that proposes to dredge five kilometers of the sea, build artificial sea berths, and displace the coastal communities. The Central Government of India works with the Meenakumari Commission Report, which recommends that large foreign fishing ships be allowed in to exploit the fishermen's traditional fishing area.

A lone boy at the beach. Jerry, the boy, is one of a decreasing number of children who use the beach for their daily physical activities and play. Photo: Johnson Jament, 2014

The biocultural diversity of the coastal communities, their changing attitude toward it, and their own efforts to continue their interconnection with the sea and marine environment all have educational implications. Firstly, biocultural diversity should be one of the basic features of the education system in India. It could be part of the primary school environmental curriculum that is already in place. The present curriculum should adapt to meet the needs of the communities and promote useful life lessons. There should be provisions to exemplify the coastal communities' oral traditions, histories, music, games, health practices, and many other aspects of their cultural diversity. By including the fishermen's traditional marine knowledge, it would be possible to make the curriculum relevant to the communities' socio-economic and environmental contexts. The existing constructivist model of teaching and learning should be focused on discussing fishermen's contributions in the area of biocultural diversity and why fishing is no longer considered a respectable or desirable occupation. Instilling marine knowledge and promoting opportunities for developing the communities' cultural practices should be a priority for the education of these communities.

Secondly, educational reforms should acknowledge and appreciate coastal communities' efforts to conserve and protect marine resources through their environmentally friendly and sustainable fishing activities and their close association with the sea and its ecosystems. It's important to build upon already established sustainable practices in these areas. These practices must be widely recognized, encouraged, and disseminated. Rewards and promotions should be part of this process. Higher education institutions in India and specifically in Kerala should encourage more research studies in the field of marine biodiversity and cultural diversity of the coastal communities and facilitate documentation of their traditional cultural knowledge of the sea, water, climate, fish species and other animals, and marine ecosystems.

By engaging in sustainable and environment-friendly fishing activities, coastal communities play a major role in the conservation of the marine environment.

Thirdly, any formal education systems should strive to keep the trust of the local communities and work collaboratively with them to make the idea of biocultural diversity a reality. This would create an opportunity for educators and other stakeholders in the education sector to work with traditional and Indigenous communities. Communities feel positive about continuing their conservation efforts, keeping their language and other cultural resources, and transmitting these to future generations, and this attitude needs to be reinforced and supported. This would also encourage alternative development models such as sustainable economies and Indigenous solutions for world problems. In the case of India, it would bring more national integration and promote respect and inclusion of the neglected sectors of society.
This story first appeared in Langscape Magazine 4(1), Summer 2015, pp. 39−43.

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Marine Biodiversity and Cultural Diversity in the Coastal Communities of Trivandrum, Kerala, India...

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Marine biodiversity and cultural diversity are deeply interwoven in the coastal fishing communities of Trivandrum, Kerala, South India. This is the story of our ancestors, the story of our fellow community members; it's the story of our life! It's about our connection with the sea, the coast, and the marine environment.