NAGERCOIL
One hundred days after Cyclone Ockhi ravaged the Kanniyakumari coast on a November night, bitter memories continue to haunt the fisherfolk.
On Saturday, scores of members of fishermen families offered prayers at St. Jude's Church in Chinnathurai, one of the cyclone-hit coastal hamlets. Many clad in white saris took part in a silent procession from Erayumanthurai to Chinnathurai and offered candlelight prayers in memory of those who lost their lives in the cyclone.
V. Theonse, a fisherman of Chinnathurai, a survivor, regretted that life was not back to normal even after three months.and the victims’ families were yet to overcome the nightmare. Fr. Churchill, general secretary, South Asian Fishermen Fraternity, felt that the State government was insensitive to the needs of fishermen, who were struggling to earn a livelihoods post-Ockhi.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had promised to offer government jobs for a member from each of 23 fishermen families whose breadwinners were killed in the cyclone but the promise was yet to be fulfilled.
He said that it was unfortunate that whereabouts of many fishermen were not known even now. Among 221 missing fishermen, 171 were from Kanniyakumari, where the adverse impact of the cyclone was experienced in Marthandamthurai, Neerodi, Vallavilai, Eraviputhenthurai, Chinathurai, Thoothur, Poothurai and Erayumanthurai.
A month ago, the State government formed a special committee comprising officials from departments of Revenue, Fisheries and representatives of local bodies to step up delivery of relief. But it had not happened, he said.
Collector Prashant M. Wadnere said that a Government Order was ready for disbursal of relief to families of victims any time in a week. A solatium of ₹20 lakh would be given to 139 families, whose breadwinners were missing in the cyclone.
The death of 23 fishermen had been confirmed. Officials of Fisheries department were camping in cyclone-hit coastal villages to take care of infrastructure needs and fishing aid. Besides, subsidy for re-plantation of rubber and banana had been given to farmers, who suffered damages to an extent of around 3,800 hectares in the district, the Collector said.
