CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has commenced disbursal of financial assistance of Rs 141 crore to 1,11,448 fishermen families, who have been affected by oil leak when two ships collided near Ennore port in January last year. Those who received the assistance hail from Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts. The quantum of assistance was ordered by the Madras High Court recently.
At an event at the Secretariat on Friday, the Chief Minister dappadi K Palaniswami presented the cheques for financial assistance to members of 21 fishermen. The quantum of compensation was fixed as follows: owners of mechanised boats (Rs 35,000), mechanised country boats (Rs 20,000), country boats (Rs 15,000), fishermen (Rs 12,000), fisherwomen assisting in fishing works (Rs 10,000), fish sellers (Rs 10,000) and fishermen engaged in fishing related works (Rs 10,000).
Due to oil leak, the livelihood resources of fishermen in these three coastal districts were severely affected. On March 6, 2017, the Chief Minister disbursed Rs 5,000 each to 30,000 fishermen families as interim relief. After many rounds of talks with the companies that owned the two ships and as per the orders of the Madras High Court, a sum of Rs 131 crore was sanctioned for relief assistance to fishermen and `10 crore was sanctioned for rehabilitation works and the amount was received from the shipping companies concerned.