Tears of anguish

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hope, despair and anger were the emotions writ large on the faces of the residents of the coastal hamlets here on Sunday. While the lips of those at the relief camps at Poonthura could be seen moving in a silent prayer. Nothing the VIPs said or promised to do could assuage the grief of the kith and kin of the missing fishermen.

The families who have been shifted to the relief camps set up at St Thomas School and the nearby church at Poonthura weren’t happy with what the administration was doing and minced no words while expressing their ire.

Manju, a social activist and a resident, along with other women folk pelted the media and VIPs with questions. “We have several questions and none of them has received any satisfactory answers so far,” she said. She wanted to know why was the government reluctant to inform or issue a warning about the cyclone before the fishermen left for the sea.

“We were told the Indian Meteorological Department had warned the State Disaster Management Authority and the government about the cyclone. Then, why did government not send out a warning? Our community has been neglected by the authorities. Only during elections do we gain prominence, thanks to our precious votes. But once the elections are over they forget about us. Who is there to take care of our problems?” said Manju.

The residents brought to fore the serious lapses on the part of the authorities. According to them, the Vizhinjam coastal police and marine enforcement squad have not been keeping registers or logbooks with info on the fishermen when they go out to the sea.   

“It seems we don’t have a proper system to tackle such natural calamities. We have no idea why the authorities are showing apathy in tracing the missing fishermen, ” said Manju, who is representing the hundreds of fishermen at Poonthura.

Nearly, a kilometre away from the relief camp on the main beach at Poonthura, hundreds of women could be seen waiting at an array of temporary shelters praying for the safe return of their loved ones.  Theresamma, who awaits the safe return of her son said, “We are praying to Sea goddess. She is the only one who can help us. Our prayers won’t go unanswered. They will come back,” she said her eyes brimming with tears.

Selvi, 33, whose husband Kumar went fishing on Wednesday afternoon, has her eyes glued to the horizon searching for her husband’s boat. They have four girls- Nimmi,7, Nimitha, 6, Nikitha, 4 and Nimisha, 2.
She has no idea what to do. “Please do something. Please hear our grievances. Give us back our husbands, fathers and brothers. It will be all over for us if he doesn’t come back,” Selvi said.
According to Father Justin Judin of Poonthura parish, rescue operations are underway and an effective search is on.  “Apart from the Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, our fishermen too went out to sea on Sunday morning. Around 40 boats ventured into the sea in the morning. One boat returned with a body,” he said.  

Meanwhile, Matilda, a housewife, expressed her ire over the attitude of the Medical College Hospital staff. “Three of us went to the hospital morgue in the morning. But the staff at the morgue asked us to bring some people to shift the body. They were very rude. It took several hours to get the body released and transported. Is this how hospital staff behave? she asked.