Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan on Friday wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami urging the State government to ensure adequate compensation to the family of fishermen from the State who died recently, when a fishing boat capsized after being hit by a container vessel.
In his letter, he said the affected fishermen are from Colachel and the State government must urge the Centre to ensure that the container vessel company compensates the affected family and also urge it to take appropriate action for alleged over speeding.
Mr. Haasan also pointed out that deaths of fishermen and their going missing have become frequent occurrences and the State government should pitch in and take steps to locate them. He also pointed out there is an issue in families of missing fishermen getting compensation, in terms of death certificate requirement. As per existing norms, a death certificate can be issued for a missing person (after ensuring he is dead) only after 7 years, Mr. Haasan said and because of this, the family of missing fishermen are not able to get compensation.
The MNM founder said the time frame for issuing death certificates for missing persons should be changed to a maximum of 6 months and also urged the government to implement a traffic separation scheme, a long pending demand of fishermen, which would help in reducing accidents at sea.
