Ockhi victims to receive Tamil Nadu relief today

Thiruvananthapuram: 100 widows who are Ockhi victims from Vallavilai and seven neighbouring parishes in Kanya Kumari district reached Chennai on Tuesday evening to receive cheques of Rs 10 lakh each from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami at Fort St. George, the headquarters of TN government, on Wednesday at 10:30 am. The remaining Rs 10 lakh can be availed only after six months though it will be deposited with immediate effect. Cyclone Ockhi had claimed 144 lives from Vallavilai and seven neighbouring parishes. Only 12 bodies of fishermen belonging to Vallavilai, Neerodi, Marthandanthurai, Eraviputhanthurai, Chinnathurai, Thoothor, Poothurai and Erayumanthurai were recovered in the search and rescue mission.

Vallavilai is a fishing hamlet which is on the Kerala border, about 38 km from Vellayambalam Bishop House in Thiruvananthapuram. Father Peter Darwin, parish priest at Vallavilai St. Mary’s Church told DC that he along with other seven other neighbouring parish priests were asked by the Tamil Nadu fisheries department to reach Chennai on Wednesday to receive the compensation. “We began our trip in four tourist buses late Monday evening.  The 150 persons also includes several affected families. There are several more widows who were expected to attend the programme, but couldn’t make it as they are cancer victims”, said Fr. Peter Darwin, who has been doing  commendable service for affected families post Cyclone Ockhi.

The majority of the widows are yet to come to terms with losing their loved ones. Even now the survivors of Cyclone Ockhi are scared of venturing into the deep sea. With the TN  government, apart from the Kerala govenment, also giving a warning to fishermen not to venture into the sea due to depression, they are facing financial difficulties.There are 182 big fishing boats in Vallavilai alone where a majority of the fishermen catch sharks and tuna from the deep sea as far as Oman, Diego Garcia and South Africa.