THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The district administration has submitted its inquiry report regarding the fishermen still missing in the Ockhi disaster.According to an earlier statement made by Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma in the Assembly, Ockhi had left 51 dead in the state - 41 in Thiruvananthapuram and one each in Kannur and Kasargod. More than a 100 are still missing, all from various fishing villages dotting Thiruvananthapuram coastline.
“We have submitted the report to the government. Now the government has to take a call on the issue,” District Collector K Vasuki said. Meanwhile, the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram has demanded the state government to declare all the missing fishermen as deceased and announce full compensation to their dependents.
In January, the state government had disbursed a compensation of R22 lakh each to the kin of the fishermen who died in the cyclone. Of the R22 lakh, R2 lakh was sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had disbursed the amount to 102 dependents of 25 fishermen from six fishing villages. Meanwhile, the Latin Church has demanded the government to complete the rehabilitation on a war-footing.
In a statement, the church alleged the government has not introduced any relief measures except for the monetary assistance to the family members of the 49 dead fishermen. “In spite of the R143 crore sanctioned by the Centre for Ockhi relief and R100 crore received in the Chief Minister’s distress relief fund, it is objectionable the government has adopted a lackadaisical attitude,” the archdiocese said.
The state government has been unable to address grievances regarding medical care, employment, housing, education and rehabilitation. The government should issue orders after providing clarity on these issues, the church alleged. Fishermen who had lost their boats and equipment in the cyclone should be provided new equipment and compensation, the church said.