The state fisheries department has resumed issuing licenses for chank diving activities in Thoothukudi, following a brief suspension. This move offers renewed opportunities for workers in the conch industry. However, the decision has sparked controversy among country boat fishermen, who argue that it could lead to contempt of court, as the use of compressors and jet pumps for diving remains unregulated by the authorities.
The renewal of chank diving licenses was halted on March 31 after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ruled against conducting the activity within the core regions of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. Chank diving, a practice that dates back to the Sangam era, involves divers collecting chanks and conch shells from the seabed up to 25 nautical miles off the Thoothukudi coast.
Country craft fishermen, who oppose the renewal of licenses, cite the health risks associated with the use of compressors and jet pumps. “Inhalation of contaminated air from compressors leads to early deaths among divers, and the use of jet pumps endangers the marine ecosystem by destroying benthic organisms. At least 25 divers die annually due to health issues,” said Dr. Gayes, president of the Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli Country Boat Fishermen Welfare Association. Tamilar Munnetra Kazhagam Katchi state general secretary Raja expressed concerns over the environmental impact, stating, “Corals, which serve as breeding grounds for fish, are living beings. The force of jet pumps can dismantle and dislodge them, causing irreversible damage to the marine ecosystem.” He called for a complete ban on the industry.
On the other hand, Meerasa, a leader of the Sangukuli Trader Association, argued that a ban on chank diving would threaten the livelihoods of nearly 5,000 families in the district. “The opposition from country craft fishermen is rooted in the profitability of the chank diving industry. With divers earning nearly Rs. 2,000 per day, many fishermen have shifted to chank diving due to its lucrative nature,” he said.
It is noteworthy that on June 9, 2011, the Fisheries Assistant Director had prohibited the use of artificial equipment like compressors for breathing during chank diving. However, the Sangukuli Workers Association obtained a stay order allowing the continued use of such equipment until March 2024, citing it as a life-saving measure. In a court order dated February 22, the Madras High Court emphasized that the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a protected area and directed the Fisheries Department to specify the area limits for fishing and diving for chank shells, while issuing licenses in adherence to the Tamil Nadu Chank Fisheries Rules, 1981.
A health professional noted that many chank divers suffer from heart attacks due to the strenuous nature of the work. “Blood pressure rises, and the liver expands when working underwater. Divers are supposed to rest for at least a day after work, but many ignore this, risking their health,” the professional said. A senior fisheries department official stated that licenses were issued for collecting conches with a prohibition on diving at the Gulf of Mannar islands. However, there is currently no ban on compressors and jet pumps, as these were not addressed in the court orders.
Dr. Gayes argued that the court had instructed adherence to the Tamil Nadu Chank Fisheries Rules, 1981, which do not permit the use of advanced equipment that could harm the marine ecosystem. Issuing licenses without banning compressors and jet pumps, he claimed, could lead to contempt of court orders.
Another official mentioned that the fisheries department had proposed providing scuba equipment with oxygen cylinders for divers at a 75 percent subsidy to replace compressors and jet pumps.
SOURCE: THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
