CHIPLUN, AUG 19: In the biggest hut in Chiveli village, a class is in progress. Thirty fisherfolk attending the class are being taught their first lesson on survival, something they were once adept at, but need to learn again today. Having lost their livelihoods to the effluent-spewing chemical factories of the MIDC-Lote Industrial Area, the fisherfolk are being forced to learn other skills, all in an attempt to survive.There are 50-odd fishing villages dotting the picturesque Dhabol creek but there are no boats bobbing in the calm waters. For three years now, the Bhoi community has not cast their nets and now they have been forced to look for alternate sources of employment to make ends meet.The first step is to become entrepreneurs and to do that, the fisherfolk have dug into their savings to pay the fee for a 10-day workshop that promises them viable alternatives. Jointly organised by the Maharashtra Centre for Entrepreneur Development (MCED) and the Dabhol Khadi Parisar Sangharsh Samiti (DKPSS), the ongoing workshop is hoping to help youngsters of the community start their own business.``We are teaching these people how to become successful entrepreneurs,'' says Rajesh Kandalgaonkar, the district project officer of MCED. ``They have lost their jobs and through this programme we hope to help them start new businesses.''From what goes into starting a business to how to apply for a loan, the workshop covers it all. ``Our emphasis will be on helping these people use their skills to their advantage,'' adds Kandalgaonkar. ``We are encouraging them to get into businesses related to their trade or go into the process industry. Something that will help them earn a decent living.''While they learn about income-generation, their ageing parents huddle in a conference outside, discussing their future strategy for a problem that began three years back.In 1997, the fisherfolk on the banks of the Dabhol creek woke upto the smell of death. Floating on the surface of the creek were thousands of dead fish. Chemical pollutants from the nearby Lote Industrial Area had killed their only means of livelihood. Three years down the line and the fisherfolk are yet to recover.``Everything died in 1997,'' says Krishna Vishram Padwal, secretary of the Sangarsh Samiti. ``Since then dead fish keep surfacing every few months. This generally coincides with the release of effluents from the MIDC factories. So for those few months there is no question of fishing. And during the rest of the year, few fishermen venture out and net a few fish. But then nobody in the market buys it. When they know it is from Dabhol creek, they just don't buy fish.''The result has been devastating for the 2000 odd fishermen. No fish has meant no income. Prosperous families have been reduced to penury and fisherfolk have been forced to work on construction-sites. While their fight against the 66 odd chemical units continues, they have realised that a solution may never be found.Explaining, Padwal adds: ``We first raised our voice in 1997 and continue to fight even today. But there does not seem to be any will on part of the authorities to sort this out. We will continue to put pressure but also have to think of our next meal. After this workshop, we hope our children can generate a steady income for the house.''The demand is simple. Set up a common effluent-treatment plant (CETP) and control pollution. Established in 1981, the MIDC Lote Industrial area has around 111 active industries. While 10 units treat the effluents they generate, the others release all the chromium, zinc, cadmium, mercury and copper directly into the creek.Everyone agrees that the CETP is the only solution to this problem, but the actual setting-up of the unit is being put-off. Industries say they don't have the funds, the pollution control board does periodic reviews, closes a few units and then forgets about it. The only people who have not been able to come to terms with the pollution are the fisherfolk.
