Now Reading: Rameswaram women free-dive for seaweed, earn Rs 50 a kilo
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Rameswaram women free-dive for seaweed, earn Rs 50 a kilo
Women in Rameswaram are diving up to six feet deep without professional gear to harvest seaweed, Deccan Herald reports. They stay in the water for four to five hours at a time,…
The Story in Brief
Women in Rameswaram are diving up to six feet deep without professional gear to harvest seaweed, Deccan Herald reports. They stay in the water for four to five hours at a time, and an experienced collector can bring back 30-40 kg on a good day.
The women wear sarees while diving and dry the seaweed on shore before selling it to local merchants for Rs 50 to Rs 70 per kilogram. The low price highlights the harsh economics of this traditional but physically demanding livelihood.
The Indian Opinion
This is a story not of quaint tradition but of survival without a safety net. It is easy to romanticise the saree-clad diver, but the real narrative is about women doing perilous work for Rs 50 a kilo while lacking basic gear like goggles or fins. The question is not whether they are brave, they are, but whether local authorities or seaweed processors will step in with training, safety equipment, or a fairer price before a preventable tragedy occurs.
Source: deccanherald.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
