Tamil Nadu CM raises Ockhi death compensation to Rs 20 lakh

Kanyakumari: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced at Thoothoor coastal hamlet here on Tuesday that the State's cash compensation to the next-of-kin of each of the dead fishermen due to the Ockhi cyclone has been increased to Rs  20 lakh.

Meeting the bereaving fishermen's families at St Jude’s college in Thoothoor, the last coastal hamlet within Tamil Nadu, Mr  Palaniswami assured a government job to the kin of the dead fishermen’s families in accordance with their educational qualifications.

Further, promising to continue search and rescue operations until the last missing fishermen was found, Chief Minister added that the existing laws to declare the missing fishermen would be relaxed to the maximum so that their families could get due compensation in time. As per existing norms, an unfound fisherman would be declared dead only after seven years.

The emergency assistance of Rs 2,500 has also been doubled by the Chief Minister, who added that due compensation for the damaged boats and houses, for which enumeration was being done by a committee headed by commissioner of revenue administration, would be ensured. He assured houses under the state government’s 'green house scheme' to those whose houses had been wrecked by the cyclone.

Moreover, to ensure dissemination of emergency warnings to fishermen in time, a 300-ft high communication tower to receive high frequency radio waves would be set up at Kanyakumari. The Rs 68 crore tower will be sponsored by the World Bank, said Palaniswami, who promised a helipad in Kanyakumari district to enhance search and rescue operations in future.

State Fisheries minister, Mr D. Jeyakumar, Revenue minister R B Udayakumar, Chief Secretary, Ms. Girija Vaithiyanathan along with various other government secretaries and priests of the local parishes were present during the Chief Minister's meeting with the affected fishermen.