THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former chief minister Oommen Chandy visited the coastal villages of Poonthura, Vizhinjam, Vettucaud and Thumba which are yet to return to normalcy after last month end's devastating Cyclone Ockhi. Not many leaders were going there after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's whirlwind trip. Fisheries ministers J. Mercy Kutty Amma too had visited them last week.
He started from St. Andrews Fathimapuram Colony at 10 am and concluded at Vizhinjam by 2 pm. Wherever he went, the fisher families who lost their men unbundled their woes and said free ration, rehabilitation package and compensation that the government announced are not reaching them. He realised that many had not received the weekly sustenance allowance of Rs 2,000. Others are unable to venture into the sea due to frequent warnings.
“I will demand the authorities to provide them with the benefits at the earliest," he told reporters. "Sadly the fishermen are facing the threat of being evicted from their rented homes which would also be brought to the notice of the government.”
He also visited those who are living in poramboke in Thumba. He consoled the family members of Xavier of Cheriyathura, whose body was identified through DNA matching. Families in Poonthura complained of not getting information on missing fishers from their hamlet.
