The Hindu today carried a story under the above title. Even before the tsunami there had been street agitations every time the diesel prices rose, which was often. After several, the government intervened and threw in a morsel of a discount. Then came the tsunami and the relief programme that followed it. Fishermen's minds were diverted.
With life returning to normal, fishermen are again awake. More boats and engines have been injected into fishing hamlets, than there were before the tsunami. And unnoticed by fishermen, there have been four price rises since the tsunami.
The report says: "While the Central Government supplies foreign deep-sea fishing vessels with tax-free diesel at Rs. 15.31 a litre, our boats have to make do with Rs. 33.72 a litre , including taxes. Also, the State Government should extend the Rs. 6 a litre subsidy for diesel from 1000 litres to 5000 litres for motorboats and from 250 to 1,250 litres for country boats," said Nanjil P.Ravi, an office-bearer of the Association."
The argument is pretty persuasive. Is the government going to extend the subsidies to fishermen or invest in creating lasting solutions? Or at least, work on both fronts. A solution is available. GoodNewsIndia Foundation is attempting to demonstrate at Nainar Kuppam, that planting pongamia pinnata for local fuel self sufficiency is a viable solution. But just 1003 plants there are not enough. The whole idea of planting the coast for biofuels should be scaled up and speeded fast.
It maybe thought it's a long haul: five years. But set against the finiteness of petroleum and strains on the exchequer due to subsidies, biofuels are a vastly easier option.