THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor P Sathasivam and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held discussions at the Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday on important matters concerning the state, including the rescue and relief operations in the coastal areas being carried out in the aftermath of cyclone Ockhi.
The Chief Minister visited the Raj Bhavan on the invitation of the Governor. During the courtesy visit which lasted 20 minutes, the Governor shared with the Chief Minister, the feedback received from various sources about the rescue work.
He also lauded the government’s decision to increase the solatium to Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of those who lost lives and those missing in the sea and declared not traceable.
They discussed the possibility of strengthening the mechanism to record information about the fishermen who venture into the sea. The Governor inquired about Kerala fishermen who had drifted away and reached Karnataka and Maharashtra after being stranded in sea. The Governor also requested the Chief Minister to contact his counterparts in those states for early transportation of fishermen from Kerala.
The Chief Minister said nodal and special officers had been deployed to ensure their transportation to Kerala.On Tuesday, Vice Admiral A R Karve, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command, and the District Collector of Ernakulam had briefed the Governor about the progress of the rescue work and rehabilitation during his visit to Kochi.