THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fishermen in coastal Thiruvananthapuram, one of the worst affected by cyclone Ockhi, are getting restless as the state’s warning against going to the sea is entering the fourth day on Wednesday. They are less convinced by the warning that started from Sunday. “After Ockhi, the government is careful. But these incessant warnings are like an anticipatory bail,” said general secretary of National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) T Peter. He said such summer winds are common and if there was anything unusual he would have got information from the fishermen network in Sri Lanka.
According to Peter, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and India Meteorological Department are competing with each other in issuing warnings. “I think it is the failure of our scientific community to provide accurate information. Such false warnings in the past have resulted in fishermen ignoring it,” he
said.
Fishermen have asked for compensation for the days lost in earning their livelihood. Secretary of Theeradesha Mahila Vedi Jeremy Roy said the fisher families are struggling to make ends meet.
“We are reluctant to let our men from going to sea after the Ockhi incident,” she said.
Heavy rain forecast for South TN
Chennai:The Meteorological Department has sounded a heavy rain alert for many places in South Tamil Nadu in the next two days. It has forecast isolated areas in North Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Cuddalore and Villupuram, along with Puducherry may receive light to moderate rain.With some regions in Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Thoothukudi already receiving rain on Tuesday, the Regional Meteorological Department said Monday’s well-marked low pressure area over Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining South Sri Lanka and Maldives-Comorin area into a depression.