Kottucherry Medu fisherwomen seek dedicated space for drying fish

Fisherwomen of Kottucherry Medu, a coastal village in Karaikal, have urged the local administration to provide a dedicated space for drying fish, citing health, safety, and livelihood concerns.

Fisherwomen of Kottucherry Medu, a coastal village in Karaikal, have urged the local administration to provide a dedicated space for drying fish, citing health, safety, and livelihood concerns.

The village, which is home to over 500 families, relies heavily on small-scale fishing. While men go out to sea, it is the women who take charge of drying and marketing the catch. In the absence of a designated drying area, the women are forced to spread fish along the sides of the Mandapathur Road and on open sand patches nearby — both unsuitable and unhygienic.

“We dry the fish on the roadside or directly in the sand. Vehicles sometimes run over them, and the dust and waste from the road spoil the fish,” said P. Kannachiyamma, a local resident.

Yogambal K, another fisherwoman, said: “Other coastal villages have dedicated drying floors, but we’ve been left out. Women here are struggling every day just to carry out basic livelihood work.”

The fisher community has appealed to the Karaikal district administration to allocate a proper drying yard, emphasising that such a facility would greatly improve their working conditions and incomes.