Chennai: They may be dead in cyclone Ockhi. In what could be an attempt to offer solace to the bereaved families of the missing fishermen – some 177 of them from Kanyakumari – Tamil Nadu government has decided to extend compensation of Rs 20 lakh, without declaring them ‘dead’ on the high seas, within three months after the severe cyclonic storm traversed along Kanyakumari coast. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will give away cheques of Rs 10 lakh to each kin on Wednesday and the balance 50% deposited in a joint account.
Customarily, a person who has not been unheard of for more than seven years by those who would naturally heard of him if he had been alive, could be presumed to have died under Section 108 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. Assistance, if any, will be extended only after seven years. Nevertheless, the AIADMK government set up a high-level committee to conduct a detailed inquiry on the missing fishermen and looked in to the modalities of extending the relief bypassing the law, after the opposition came up with strident criticism on the indifference of Palaniswami government towards the welfare of devastated fishing community. The CM paid a visit a fortnight after the storm left a trail of destruction and brought to halt the coastal district.
“We have not got the dead bodies. There is high likelihood of casualty and 99.9% they are dead. Only the technicalities matter. That is why, we have given relaxation,” Fisheries director G S Sameeran told TOI. So, after the high-level committee recommended within a month after the cyclone, local panels headed by Tahsildars were set up and inquiries and due verification of documents done in a jiffy. The district collector notified the missing persons with a 15-day public notice. Presumably, there was no information on these 177 fishermen and construed as “dead.” Fisheries minister D Jayakumar said the relaxation was an exception given the devastation meted out by the families. “The order could be applied in future too if the destruction is on a higher scale,” the minister said. Having learned the lessons, the state government swung into action speedily when the Met department issued warning a few days ago about squally winds likely to prevail over Gulf of Mannar and Comorin area and advised fishermen from venturing into the sea.
The well-marked low pressure is likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression during next 48 hours. Sameeran said that about 80 to 90 TN fishing boats have reached the shores of Kalpeni and Kavaratti Islands of Lakshadweep following alerts from TN government through various channels. Jayakumar said the fishing boats were alerted in the mobile/VHF range. “Coast guard and Maritime Rescue Coordinator Centre were requested to alert fishermen in the path/anticipated path of the depression. The district collectors of coastal districts of Kerala and Lakshadweep were told to alert fishermen and provide berthing to TN fishermen. A private Ham radio operator in Kochi was requested to disseminate the weather warning to the fishermen, since the reported range of radio coverage is 100 nautical miles,” the minister said.
