Udupi Taluk Fisherwomen’s Association Inaugurated

Report and Pictures by Anil Alva

Udupi, 02 February 2010: On Monday, 1st February 2010, fish markets all over the Udupi Taluk wore an empty look and people who wanted buy fish had to return disappointed as there were no fisher women in markets. No, they were not on strike, but over a thousand of them had assembled in Shesha Shayana Hall in the Kidiyur Hotel at Udupi to show their solidarity in the formation of the Udupi Taluk Fisher Women’s Association.

The Udupi Taluk Fisher Women’s Association was inaugurated by Mrs. Shobha Karandalje, ex-minister in the Karnataka Government. The inaugural function was presided over by Mrs. Baby S. Salian Kodavoor, President of the Udupi Taluk Fish Sellers’ Association. The other prominent personalities who were present at the inaugural function were: Dr. V.S. Acharya, Home Minister in the Karnatak Government, Mr. Raghupati Bhat, MLA (Udupi), Mr. Lalaji R. Mendon, MLA (Kapu), Mr. Haladi Srinivas Shetty, MLA (Kundapur), Mr. Gopla Bhandary, MLA (Karkala), Mr. Kota Srinivas Poojary, MLC, Captain Ganesh Karnik, MLC, Mr. Pramod Madhwaraj, President of Dakshina Kannada Mogavira Mahajana Sangha, Mrs. Gladys D’Almeida, President  of the Udupi Zilla Panchayat,  Mr. Dinakar Shetty Herga, President of the Udupi Municipality, Mr. Hiriyanna T. Kidiyur, President of the Fish Sellers’ Association, Malpe and  Mr. Yashpal Suvarna, President of Udupi-DK Fish Sellers’ Federation, Mangalore.

The programme was conducted by Mr. Prakash Suvarna of Katapadi. Mrs. Sanki Kotian was honoured by Mrs. Shobha Karandjale for completing fifty years in selling fresh fish. Dr. V.S. Acharya honoured Mrs. Radhu Suvarna of Malpe and Mr. Yashpal Suvarna.

The newly formed Udupi Taluk Fisher Women’s Association presented a list of demands to the guests who represented the government of Karnataka. This charter of demands included: improving the facilities for the fisher women in the markets while selling fresh fish such as improved seating facilities and provision of ice-boxes; health insurance to fisher women;  health insurance for  fisherwomen; one thousand rupees  per month as pension to those fisherwomen who cross fifty years;  housing loan facility up to 3 lakhs of rupees with an interest ranging from 3-4 per cent; scholarship to the children of fisherwomen for continuing their education, etc.

At the end of the inaugural function, the fisherwomen presented cultural programme in the form of group dances.