Qualities of self-governance and wellbeing in the fishing communities of northern Tamil Nadu, India - the role of Pattinavar ur panchayats

Despite non-recognition by state authorities, informal councils (Tamil: ur panchayats) are known to comprehensively govern the fishing villages of the Coromandel Coast, Tamil Nadu, India. These councils take charge of an amalgam of village affairs, including the management of fisheries in adjacent sea territories, the resolution of disputes, and interlocution with outside parties. In summary, their duty is to ensure the wellbeing of the fisher population. Arguing that ur panchayats constitute an institutionalized form of collective action, this article investigates their contemporary role in the districts of Nagapattinam and Karaikal. It makes use of interactive governance theory and the concept of self-governance. The article is based on ethnographic field research carried out in the fourth quarter of 2013.