When T.A. Pugalarasan, the Periya-Neelankarai-born fisherman, walked up a London stage on January 11, 2017 to receive the BOAT International Ocean Award as one of the two finalists, he had one thought in mind. He must remember the lines of his thank-you speech in English. He had practised them, and wouldn’t carry a paper. He delivered the words to huge applause, as a clipping of his work rolled on a screen. He had won the award in the “Local Heroes” category, but on that day he went “international”.
Young Pugalarasan remembers every minute of his life that brought him international recognition. At 13, he dropped out of school (class VII, St. Joseph Higher Secondary School), joined his father on his kattumaram for sea-fishing. When they bought a fibre-glass boat with an outboard motor in 1999, “I was a veteran and an expert swimmer.”
One morning in 2002, his friend drew his attention to a stranded Olive Ridley turtle in the shallow waters. “I put it back in the ocean unhurt. Jayaseelan took me to Supraja ma’am (of TREE Foundation) and my life took a new path.”
He told “Supraja ma’am” he saw a lot of turtles, he and friends used their elastic eggs to play cricket. Soon she called a meeting, “told us of the need to save the turtles and asked for volunteers. I thought, ‘I have lived off the sea for 10 years, it is time to give back’.”
He would be a “conservation co-ordinator” in TREE Foundation’s Sea Turtles Protection Force. He set to work with the zeal of a new convert.
A tour of villages
His breathless account tells you why he so richly deserved the award. He began work on the beaches of Injambakkam, Panaiyur, Nayanaarkuppam, Kanathur and Reddikuppam. He accompanied Supraja to schools and colleges to talk of turtle conservation, went along when she met forest officials. At the Savera Hotel seminar on turtles where forest officials were present, he and colleague Ezhumalai presented a PPT and answered questions. In a small van with a bamboo turtle strapped to the roof, he and Ezhumalai drove to 500/608 villages of Nagapattinam, Thoothukkudi, Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari to spread the conservation mantra. “We saw whales/dolphins/turtles/dugongs during our coastal travels. In almost all the places we campaigned, forest people attended our talks.”
His awareness programmes have brought change. “We have conducted conservation rallies and turtle walks. We spoke to pastors when we realised there were a lot of churches in coastal villages. We sought the coastal-police’s help to rescue turtles that were about to become dinner. When villagers asked us not to ban fishing and eating of sea-cucumbers, we explained how they were needed to increase fish yield. Our campaigns have brought down eating of turtles, sea-cucumbers and dugongs considerably. Manappadu village has banned turtle meat-eating.” He has carried his message to Nellore, Vizag, Kumta (Karnataka) and to the Goa International Turtle Awareness Festival.
In the 15 years he has been with the TREE Foundation, Pugalarasan has helped with satellite-tagging of a turtle, surgery of wounded turtles, release of recuperated ones into the sea, annual collecting/safe-guarding of turtle eggs, building of enclosures, supervision of hatchlings when they moved to the sea. He has buried dolphins/turtles/whales when their bodies were washed ashore. “I once drove down to the harbour to rescue a sea turtle at one a.m.”
“When she came to know of the award, ma’am sent an application,” he says. “154 countries competed!” Soon it was time to pack for the trip. His mentor N. Balachandran, retired IPS officer, bought him a coat, clothes and accessories. Supraja organised everything and he was off.
Learning curve
The two-weeks in London was a huge learning curve. He met people in his field, visited one marine-related place every day and recorded his experiences in a journal. He visited Seaworld in the London Zoo, went inside the elephant enclosure in the Whipsnade Zoo, watched a knee-cap surgery on a dolphin, took a cruise down the Thames, travelled in the Tube – all of which left him marvelling about Londoners. “They are professional, punctual, honest and thorough in their work. Even if they complete work, wait till official time to go home. I saw people dropping coins and picking what they wanted in kiosks without shop assistants.” But his heart is in Chennai. “Had to wear 4-5 kg of clothes to step out. Chennai weather is heaven!”
He now believes dreams do come true. He wants to build a sea aquarium, since “people know very little about the sea.” He hopes someone will float a research vessel.
“We need to be at sea, observe the ocean all year round, follow proper procedures since the sea changes constantly. We tend to guess and write.” Authentic information will help fight the plastic menace. “Other countries seem to have better tools to save animals, and more funds. It comes from the love of the ocean.”
