Hudhud relief yet to reachboat owners

December 25, 2014 11:22 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 07:07 pm IST - VISAKHAPATNAM:

Delay and uncertainty mar the implementation of post-Hudhud compensation programme to mechanised boat owners even after two months of issuing GO Ms. No. 13.

Though the government promised relaxation of norms for payment of compensation after issuing the GO on October 22, a record 10 days after the cyclone devastated the fishing harbour here, so far not a single rupee has reached the boat owners.

‘Mission Hyderabad’ undertaken by the aggrieved boat owners from Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, and Machilipatnam on December 23 failed to produce any result except a promise by Fisheries Minister P. Pulla Rao and Excise Minister Kollu Rajendra, to take it up with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

“We want a list on factual position sent to the government by the local fisheries officials and the amended GO issued immediately. At the same time, the State government should also lobby for release of Rs.17 crore for three north Coastal Andhra districts for the cause of fishermen from National Disaster Relief Fund,”  Association of Indian Fishery Industries president Y.G.K. Murty, who returned from Hyderabad on Thursday, told The Hindu.

The team consisted of local MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, presidents of AP Mechanised Boat Operators’ Association P.C. Appa Rao and Dolphin Boat Operators’ Association Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy and representatives from various associations at Kakinada and Machilipatnam.

Package

As per the said GO Ms. No. 13, the relief package for payment of Rs.6 lakh for boats which were totally damaged and cannot be repaired, Rs.3 lakh for those which can be repaired with major damages and Rs.50,000 for those suffering minor damages.

During one of the recent visits, the Chief Minister promised to enhance Rs.3 lakkh to Rs.5 lakh for boats which submerged, salvaged and could be redeployed by undertaking major repairs. “We want the list finalised by local fisheries officials without any delay and issuance of amended GO so that we can repair our boats and undertake fishing voyage,” said a boat owner.

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