SRIKAKULAM: The fishermen on way to Srikakulam and other Uttarandhra districts from Veraval fishing harbour have reportedly been facing various difficulties ever since they left Gujarat. With no food arrangements made by the organisers, they survive on mixture, onions and chillis during the travel. The organisers supply only three water packets per day, one each for morning, afternoon and night.
For shifting the stranded fishermen from Veraval to AP, Gujarat officials had allegedly collected Rs 3,000 from each. Boat owners deducted the amount from the salaries of the poor fishermen to pay for transportation. “We started from Veraval on Tuesday when the officials had served only three chapatis to each person for the entire day,” said Chintapalli Korlayya, a fisherman from Srikakulam.
“We had to remain hungry till next morning after the officials had taken all the fishermen for Covid tests. From Wednesday, we have to be satisfied with snacks. They supply only three water sachets per day,” he added. The fisherman also said on Thursday evening, they supplied three water cans to each bus. “However, we got food after we reached Telangana,” he added. In a statement from the collectorate, it was said that the CMRF revenue wing had granted `3 crore to the Srikakulam district collector to shift the stranded fishermen safely from Veraval.
“We will pay the ticket fare that was paid by the fishermen soon after reaching the district,” said Fisheries department joint director VV Krishna Murthy. He said that they provided south Indian food to the fishermen when they reached Telangana border on Thursday night. In all, 4,065 fishermen have been travelling to the State by 56 buses.