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Centre failed to save cyclone-hit fishermen: Team
The Central government did not act on time to rescue the Kanniyakumari fishermen, who were struck by cyclone Ockhi, said members of a fact-finding team here on Sunday.
By
migrator
migrator
Madurai
Cyclone Ockhi struck Kanniyakumari district on November 29 and wreaked havoc in the district. Many Kanniyakumari fishermen ventured into the sea even before the cyclone formed, were caught in it. While several died, others are still missing.
The confusion over the total number of missing and deceased fishermen remains, while a fact-finding team, including lawyers and social activists from southern districts, carried out an investigation in the affected fishing hamlets.
The team carried out the investigation from December 26 to 28 and tabled its report on Sunday.
Senior High Court advocate Vanchinathan, who led the team, said that during their interaction with fishermen and their representatives, it was made clear that all the government departments failed miserably in the rescue operation, that was purposefully delayed.
Despite having the resources and technology, the meteorological department failed to predict the cyclone in advance.
The department also lied about the wind speed and did not provide correct details about the fishermen.
Also, the rescue operation carried out by the Indian Coast Guard(ICG) and Indian Navy was delayed purposefully, said Vanchinathan.
When asked why the Centre purposefully delayed the rescue measures, he replied that the Centre is already in anger against the fishermen from southern districts for delaying various central projects, including Enayam Port, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, hydrocarbon project, thermal project and so on.
More importantly the BJP led Central government has no vote banks in the state, particularly among the fishermen due to which the rescue measures were delayed purposefully, said Vanchinathan.
He also said that fishermen had provided details of stranded fishermen using GPS signals but the ICG and Navy failed to rescue them.
Fishermen, who went for deep sea fishing, were struck at more than 300 nautical miles, but the Indian forces did not go beyond 100 nautical miles during any of the rescue measures, said Vanchinathan.
Fisherman’s body taken home
The body of a missing fisherman identified through DNA test was taken to Thoothoor in Kanniyakumari district, on Sunday. The fisherman was identified as Josepath, a native of Thoothoor. According to Justin Antony, Founding President, International Fishermen Federation (INFIDET), Josepath had gone to the sea on November 25 before the cyclone and went missing after the cyclone. His body was recovered by the Kerala government and was kept at a Government Hospital in Kozhikode. After DNA test was carried out, his body was identified and it was taken to Thoothoor. A special mass was conducted before the burial of the body. Justin Antony said that so far 14 fishermen in Kanniyakumari were declared dead. Out of which, 13 were identified through DNA test. As the bodies of these fishermen were decomposed, they could be identified only through a DNA test, said Justin. He further added that still 142 fishermen in Kanniyakumari district are missing and among them 40 are from Chinnathurai village.
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