THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOLLAM: Facing mounting protests from fishermen, Chief Minister V D Satheesan and his cabinet colleagues reached out to the families of the three fishermen 11 days after they went missing.
The families had launched protests demanding intensified search operations, prompting the government to step up the hunt along the Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam coasts. Missing fisherman John Mathias’s relatives had expressed strong resentment over ministers’ remarks about fishermen venturing into the sea.
Visiting the family of Gautham Krishna at Neendakara on Monday amid growing criticism over the delayed search and concerns over coastal safety, the CM said the government would put in place a foolproof sea-rescue mechanism and strengthen coastal security.
Speaking to the media alongside Forest Minister Shibu Baby John, Satheesan also defended himself against the criticism.
“I understand the sentiments behind the demand of the relatives of the fishermen missing from Thiruvananthapuram. It is natural for people to protest against the administration. As the head of the administration, I am the one facing the criticism,” he said.
Satheesan said an integrated system involving all agencies would be developed to ensure the safety of fishermen venturing into the sea.
“The search operation involves coordinating all available systems and is continuing despite adverse weather conditions,” he said.
The government would establish a weather forecasting and rescue mechanism that could serve as a national model, incorporating local and traditional knowledge and representation from the fishing community.
Meanwhile, John Mathias’s family told Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and Fisheries Minister V E Abdul Gafoor, who called on them, that the chief minister’s remarks had deeply hurt the fishing community, particularly families still awaiting the return of missing loved ones.
John’s daughter, Jiji John, said fishermen had every right to raise their concerns with the government, and that demands for stronger safety measures, faster rescue operations and better warning systems should not be viewed politically.
“The community’s concerns are not politically motivated. They stem from the anguish and uncertainty we have endured since our father went missing,” she said.
The family also flagged gaps in the existing rescue mechanism. It called for a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s coastal rescue system, including operational marine ambulances, a 24-hour emergency response mechanism and better communication between fishermen and authorities.
Chennithala said some coastal safety issues would require discussions with the Union government. Gafoor said the government would examine the demand for localised weather forecasts and address the concerns.
He said the fisheries department was preparing an SOP for missing fishermen, focusing on the crucial initial hours after an accident, and that it would be ready within two weeks.
The ministers later visited the family of Muthalapozhi native Shijin and reviewed the search operations. Gafoor said dredging at Muthalapozhi would begin after necessary approvals, based on CWPRS recommendations and local inputs.
Ministers Bindu Krishna, P C Vishnunadh and Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman visited Gautham Krishna’s family.
Meanwhile search for the three fishermen continued on Monday, with the Navy’s INS Kalpeni deployed in the Vizhinjam and Muthalapozhi areas and the Coast Guard continuing the search for Gautham.
Pinarayi visits fisher’s family in Vizhinjam
Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday visited the family of John, a fisherman who went missing at sea from Vizhinjam. He strongly criticised the government’s disaster response and delayed search operations for missing fishermen. He promised to take up the matter with the CM and address the concerns raised by the affected family. He also demanded financial aid, debt relief and education support for the fishermen’s children.
‘Govt’s interventions commendable’
Thiruvananthapuram diocese archbishop Dr Thomas J Netto, on Monday appreciated the government’s interventions aimed at improving the living conditions of fishermen in coastal areas, including Neendakara, and in locating workers who go missing at sea. Speaking at the 700th anniversary celebration of the Kollam diocese, Dr Thomas, extended the support of the Church and faithful in the implementation of initiatives proposed by the government.
