The fishermen of Kasimedu and Pulicat have urged the government to take steps to provide them relief for boats that were damaged due to high winds and heavy rain on November 11.
At Kasimedu, 50 boats, each costing between ₹50 lakh to ₹80 lakh, sank despite being tied up and anchored. “They hit against each other and everything aboard the craft, including the nets and engines, sunk. We cannot retrieve them. Without financial assistance from the government we will not be able to get back on our feet,” said A. Veerappan, Kasimedu Kadarkarai Visaipadagugal Sangam.
At Pulicat, due to the lack of a safe harbour, over 350 fibre-reinforced plastic boats were damaged. Durai Mahendran, a community leader, said around 400 country craft along with oars and pushing poles were also damaged or lost. “These are very small-scale fishermen who depend on the lake for their day-to-day livelihood,” he said.
Sources in the Fisheries Department said Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan had directed officials to hold a joint inspection of the craft along with the Revenue Department and the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority. “If the depression is announced as a natural calamity, the fishermen can hope for some compensation. Though those owning larger boats at Kasimedu would have insured their craft, the amount would not cover the entire loss,” a retired official said.
