Amendment in National Disaster Management Act demanded

As the scale of devastation by Cyclone Ockhi was high, fishermen, social activists, politicians and even the state government had demanded the Central government to declare it as a National disaster. But, the Centre had refused. Recently, Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, said in the Parliament that no there is no provision in NDMA to declare natural disasters as National disasters.

Fishermen, who were disappointed with this statement had demanded the central government to make necessary amendments in NDMA to announce cyclone ‘Ockhi’ as a national disaster. Justin Antony, Founding president, International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET), said that though the fishermen can understand that there is no such provision in NDMA, the Central government should introduce a clause in the Act to declare the cyclone as a national disaster.

He also demanded the state government to treat cyclone ‘Ockhi’ as a special case and to declare the missing fishermen who do not return by New Year as dead. Usually, if a fisherman goes missing he would be declared dead only after seven years but in this case the damage is extensive. The Rs 20 lakh announced by the state government is not the price for the life of a fisherman but the amount can be used by his kin to manage their livelihood, said Justin Antony.