THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The cabinet on Wednesday cleared a comprehensive rehabilitation package for the victims of Cyclone Ockhi, which includes Rs 20 lakh compensation for the kin of the deceased fishermen and Rs 5 lakh each for fishermen who were grievously injured.
Terming the cyclone Ockhi calamity as ''extraordinary'' and ''unprecedented,'' CM Pinarayi Vijayan, announcing the details of package, said that the compensation amount was meant for finding alternate employment for the affected families. Every adult and child in the fishermen families that was prevented from going to work due to the cyclone would be paid Rs 60 per day and Rs 45 per day respectively for seven days.
The free rations announced by the state government for the fishermen families would be extended for a full month, he said. Fishermen who lost equipment in the cyclone such as boats and nets would be adequately compensated. The cabinet has cleared a proposal for providing free education and vocational training to the children of the fishermen who died in the sea. The government also plans to provide financial assistance to the fishermen families that were evacuated to relief camps due to the cyclone.
A panel consisting of additional chief secretary (revenue) and principal secretary (fisheries) has been formed for making timely revisions in the package. Another panel consisting of the additional chief secretaries and principal secretaries for revenue, home and fisheries has been constituted to provide adequate compensation to fishermen who cannot be traced by making the necessary amendments to the legal procedures, the chief minister said.
Search operations saved 2600
CM Pinarayi Vijayan said that the search and rescue operations launched on November 30, the day the cyclone struck, had succeeded in saving the lives of nearly 2600 people, including 1130 Keralites. ''The rescue operation itself was carried out on an unprecedented scale in the deep sea. The government expresses its gratitude to the defence agencies for leading the rescue operations,'' he said. ''That the people of Kerala stood as one in this endeavour should be specially noted,'' he said.
Official figure: 92 missing
CM Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday that, as per official statistics, 92 fishermen were still missing in the sea. Claims made by the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram and other groups that more men are missing will be examined. The Latin Church had claimed on Tuesday that 201 men were still stranded in the sea. Of the, 108 men had gone out in small boats.