Nothing unusual if one hangs out fresh fish in the sun to dry. It creates deplorable condition if drying activity is carried out on the road which attracts several vehicles everyday.
A visit to Fishing Harbour reveals the unpleasant scene as most part of the beach road leading to the jetty and behind it is used by dozens of fisherwomen for making dry fish.
It not only raises stink but also causes road congestion. When it rains the fish gets drenched. The unhygienic conditions prevalent for drying fish has remained a long pending issue as the fisherwomen say they are left with no other choice.
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“We know it is unhygienic. But we have to supplement the income of our men. After drying them for three to four days, we get about ₹25 to ₹30 per basket of dry fish,” says Komara Pentamma, who has migrated to Jalaripeta from Chintapalle in neighbouring district. She says if alternative place is offered nearby they will not mind to move there.
Fisherwomen buy miscellaneous fish, which have no value in the market from crew of mechanised boats for throwaway price and use them for drying by removing the scales, cutting open the belly and cleaning them with fresh water laced with salt for a long shelf life. On an average 100 gram salt is used for one litre of water.
They also keep plastic covers and cover them at night and when it rains. “We contribute to our family income as meeting two ends met is very difficult for us. Even though we toil hard, middlemen buy the dried fish from us by paying peanuts though they sell in market for much higher price,” bemoans Kovara Dhanam, another fisherwoman.
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The government tried to shift the fisherwoman from the fishing harbour and Appughar area to alternative places proposed at Thimmapuram and Kapulauppada sometime ago. However, the fisherwomen turned down the proposal saying it will be difficult for them to move to a distant place.