Daijiworld Media Network - Kaup (SP/NDF)

Kaup, May 9: Vinay Kumar Sorake fought the 2013 assembly election in the state on behalf of Congress and promised to the people of his Kaup constituency to serve their interests. He registered victory in his constituency as did his Congress party in the state. Right from the moment he was elected, he took up the arduous challenge of alleviating the sufferings of fishermen of Thenka Yermal and Bada Yermal villages located in his constituency.

The fishermen faced the problem of sea erosion. Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) which came up near Padubidri had built a breakwater in the sea by violating rules. Because of the havoc played by this structure, fishing activity in these villages had nosedived. In addition, UPCL also released hot water from its plant into the sea through pipelines, thus contaminating water of the sea in the region which caused death of large amount of fish. Sea erosion consumed around six houses of fishermen and threatened to inflict further misery and sea erosion coupled with falling fish catches hit the fishermen like bolt from the blue. Roads were washed away, and several coconut trees of fishermen got uprooted.

Sorake, who was elected as MLA just then, convened a meeting with UPCL officials. He also visited the families facing hardships and discussed all issues and got first hand information about what was bothering the people. He instructed the company to demolish the breakwater built by it immediately. He took care to see that destroyed roads were built again and houses were restored. The families which had lost houses got newly built houses. Fishing activity was revived. Barrier was built to stop sea erosion, which had by now reduced due to the destruction of the breakwater.

A fisherman from the region, Chandrashekhar, gratefully recollects that Vinay Kumar Sorake was the saviour of fishing community in the area. He says that Sorake breathed new life into the lives of fishermen at a time when the situation had turned grim and the fishermen were about to lose hope.

Another fisherman from Thenka Yermal, Lingappa, confesses that he and many other families from the village do not know anything other than fishing, having been raised in close proximity with the sea. He says that his house was about to collapse due to sea erosion and the families had to be awake all through the nights to watch for sea's fury. "Sorake made a promise to us, he kept the promise, and gave us peace of mind and reasons to cheer for him and feel grateful to him," he confesses.

Sundar, another fisherman from this village, said that because of the breakwater, coconut trees and roads to residences of fishermen in his village were falling prey to worsening sea erosion. He said that Sorake, who was made aware of the problems, came to the rescue of fishermen by removing the breakwater and thus provided relief from a danger which was detrimental to their lives and livelihood.