DMK working president and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin on Thursday wrote to the leader of the central team visiting Kanniyakumari district to assess damages caused by Cyclone Ockhi.
Mr. Stalin wrote to Parameshwar Bali, Chartering Officer in the Ports Wing of the Ministry of Shipping. The Opposition Leader said that even after a month of the cyclone, credible data on the number of individuals missing or dead have not been made public. He said that the district has lost 2,569 hectares of rubber trees, 2,445 hectares of banana trees, 182 hectares of tapioca, 415 hectares of paddy and 119 hectares of coconut trees to the cyclone.
Mr. Stalin placed a list of 13 demands, which he said were those of the people of Kanniyakumari, before the team.
These include declaration of the district as national disaster affected and a solatium of ₹25 lakh each to the families of the fishermen. He also called for a debt write-off for the fishermen and farmers of Kanniyakumari and funds to compensate for the loss of crops and fishing equipment. Mr. Stalin’s list of demands also included helipads for search and rescue at either Kanniyakumari or Colachel; he also wanted the government to provide fishermen of the district modern wireless equipment.
