Two of the fishermen from Andhra Pradesh, who were stranded at Veraval in Gujarat following the nation-wide lockdown, died, the National Fishworkers’ Forum said on Wednesday.
Forum executive member K. Lakshmi told The Hindu that K. Raju, a resident of D. Matchyapalem in Srikakulam district, allegedly died due to fear of contracting coronavirus.
Another fisherman, Jagannadham, of Gara mandal in the same district died due to lack of proper food while undergoing treatment, she said.
The bodies of both the fishermen had been kept in a mortuary, she added.
The fishermen were running short of provisions and being forced to stay in boats kept at the anchorage of Veraval, she said.
Ms. Lakshmi said the forum had apprised the Chief Ministers of A.P. and Gujarat of the prevailing situation at Veraval and the plight the 4,800 fishermen, most of them from north Andhra, and sought their airlifting immediately on humanitarian grounds.
She said that fishing would not resume at Veraval till August even if the lockdown was lifted on May 3 due to the economic impact of the pandemic on the boat owners.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy recently spoke with his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani and sought his help in the issue.