Its been over three weeks since nine fishermen of Kasimedu went missing at sea and their families say they are yet to get any compensation.
The last time that the men spoke with their families was on December 12, 2016, the day Cyclone Vardah made landfall close to Chennai. They had gone to sea on December 3. R. Amalraj, whose father Rajendran and brother Nirmalraj were on the ill-fated craft, said though his father was positive that he would be home by 5 p.m. that day, the families had lost all hope since bodies of three fishermen on the craft had been washed ashore.
“We got information that the body of my brother and two others were washed ashore on December 28 at Nagapattinam. I identified my brother by the clothes he was wearing. We want the boat to be lifted from the bottom of the sea to see if there are bodies in it. The Fisheries Minister has said that he would look into the matter,” he said.
R. Pradeep (17), son of the missing boat’s driver, Ravichandran, said the Fisheries Department staff only took signatures of the family on forms meant for a daily dole of Rs. 250. “We are waiting for the insurance amount. The government is yet to give any money. My mother is dead. I was working in a company but lost the job as I was absent from work since the time my father went missing. I have to take care of my younger brother and am now looking for a job,” he said. He added that they were managing with a bit of money that was still left.
“My brother is in class 10. We have no other relative to help us,” he said.
