Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has decided to include fishermen also in the efforts to rescue the persons missing in the sea. Chief Minister Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters after a high-level meeting on Sunday that the fishermen would be sent along with the rescue teams as demanded by the fishermen community.
“The operation in which 395 fishermen were saved in a single day was one of the biggest-ever joint efforts. The total number of rescued fishermen so far is 475. This was possible only through perfect coordination between various rescue agencies like Navy, Coast Guard, central and state governments and the local people," he added. The rescue operations will continue. Eight ships and a helicopter of the Coast Guard, seven ships, two planes and four helicopters of Navy, one plane and two helicopters of the Air Force were pressed into service, Mr Vijayan said.
Of the rescued, 132 fishermen were from Thiruvananthapuram, 66 from Kozhikode, 55 from Kollam, 40 from Thrissur and 100 from Kanyakumari. Besides, 138 fishermen have been rescued from Lakshadweep islands, Mr Vijayan said. The compensation of Rs 10 lakh announced on Saturday would be in addition to Rs 4 lakh being given by the fisheries department. Assistance will also be provided to those who had lost their boat and equipment, he added.
The rescue operations have been held in an area 100 miles off the Kerala coast. The search had been extended to areas beyond Lakshadweep. The inputs from the fishermen were also used for the rescue operations. Fuel, food and water will be provided to fishermen who are unwilling to discard their boats and return. Mr Vijayan also informed that the Navy and Air Force have expressed their willingness to help the people from the state who have been stranded at Devghat in Maharasthra.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan gets into minister Kadakampally Surendran’s car after an angry crowd stopped him from boarding his official vehicle. (Photo: DC)
Angry crowd stops Pinarayi
Security personnel who accompanied Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on his visit to the cyclone-hit Vizhinjam area on Sunday had a tough time controlling the angry crowd that surrounded him alleging that he did not visit the areas earlier.
The Chief Minister arrived at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, Vizhinjam, along with ministers E. Chandrasekharan and Kadakampally Surendran Thiruvananthapuram at 6.30 p.m. District collector K. Vasuki and additional director-general of police Manoj Abraham accompanied the chief minister.
A group of people came up with protests as the Chief Minister returned to his car after speaking to the people in the church. They shouted at him saying that he did not visit them immediately after the tragedy hit them. Some even banged his car.
It was with great effort that the security officers of the Chief Minister managed to let him outside the crowd after he was blocked for about five minutes. As the public did not allow the Chief Minister to go near his official car, the security personnel escorted him and Mr Chandrasekharan out of the place under heavy security to Mr Suredran’s car.
The Chief Minister who arrived at Vizhinjam had earlier planned to visit the church and speak to the public after coming out. As there was protest in the local area, he later changed the plan and spoke to the people inside the church along with the parish priest. In his address, the Chief Minister said the state government had done everything possible towards rescue and relief operations. “The government is with the victims of the tragedy and will do the needful,” he assured them.
