With all houseboats, shikaras and canoes operating out of Ashtamudi Lake lying idle for nearly a fortnight, those working in the sector are bracing for bleaker times.
The blow came when they were all prepared for the forthcoming tourist season. There was a sudden dip due to the global pandemic and tourist traffic tickled down further and by the second week of March various restrictions were in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
While houseboat owners are worried about the accumulation of debt due to the non-payment of loans, those who operate small country boats and canoes say they will be reduced to penury.
Only source
“We have lost our only source of income and currently it’s impossible to find an alternative due to the temporary shutdown of other businesses. But what scares us most is the uncertain future as nobody seems to have any idea about when everything will be back to normal,” says Babu, who has been offering canoe rides for the last 11 years.
Big houseboats employ an assorted crew who includes a srank, an engine operator and a chef while small ones are mostly operated by one or two persons. The district has around 150 boats coming in different segments and the season going dry has affected hundreds of families depending on their income.
“We get maximum group packages during summer months and we had several bookings for April-May, which is also the peak season for domestic travellers. They were all cancelled and there is no point awaiting bookings since we can’t predict when we will be able to contain the pandemic. We know it has affected all sectors, but we are the worst-hit group. This was totally unexpected and the outbreak has left us in dire straits,” says Rajeev, who operates two house boats.
Munore Thuruthu, a destination known for its idyllic waterways, has the maximum number of canoes operating in and around the island. With all tourist-related trades bearing the brunt, the islanders are staring at mass unemployment.
Dependent families
“Here we have around 100 canoe operators and some eight shikaras that employ two staff each. Several families are dependent on them and currently they all are struggling. They cannot go to the city in search of jobs now and if the situation continues like this we will have to face a huge crisis,” says Munroe Thuruthu grama panchayat president Binu Karunakaran.
