fishermenThiruvananthapuram, Dec 7 (PTI) Hundreds of fisherfolktoday staged a rail roko at Kuzhithurai railway station onthe Kerala-Tamil Nadu border demanding steps to trace morethan 1000 fishermen reportedly missing after they put to seafrom Kanyakumari.
About 5000 people, including women and children,squatted on the rail track protesting alleged failure of theTamil Nadu government on taking steps to trace those missingfollowing cyclone Ockhi.
Protesters also blocked theThiruvananthapuram-Kanyakumari national highway.
People from nine coastal panchayats ofKanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu were staging the protest.
A Johan Leonard, President of an outfit, the 'NaithalEzhuchi Peravai', spearheading the agitation, said more than1000 fishermen, who ventured into the sea in 112 boats, areyet to come back.
More concern was about those who had gone in about150-250 roofless small fishing boats, he said.
"There was no information about them." They had left Thenkaipattanam harbour in Kanyakumaridistrict few days before cyclone Ockhi hit the coast onNovember 29-30, he said.
Leonard alleged that the Tamil Nadu government was notdoing anything to locate the missing fishermen.
"The stir would continue till the state and Centretake steps to trace the missing persons," he added.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had yesterdayheld a review meeting with senior officials of Indian Navy,Air Force and Coast Guard on rescuing missing fishermen fromthe state.
A government release, quoting the meeting, said mostof the fishermen who could not return to shore followingcyclone Ockhi have been rescued by joint efforts of the Navy,Air Force and Coast Guard in association with the stategovernment.
The chief minister insisted that the Navy, Air Forceand Coast Guard should continue with coordinated search andrescue in the Arabian sea till the fishermen were rescued.
Following the rail roko, railway cancelled twopassenger trains between Kanayakumari and Thiruvananthapuram.
It also regulated express trains includingBengaluru-Kanayakumari in view of the agitation, a railwayspokesperson said.
Train services have been regulated between Parassalain Kerala and Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu, the spokesperson added.
PTI JRK LGKBN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.