About 20 to 25 mechanised boats berthed in Rameswaram fishing jetty were damaged after gusty winds battered the area in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to fishermen in the vicinity, the wind was so strong and it blew for about 20 to 30 minutes. As the lockdown was in force due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the residents did not venture out.
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Boat owners had to shell out amounts ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh for repairs, said fishermen leader P. Sesu Raja. “All the boats have to be towed and anchored safely to the shore. While towing them, damages are bound to occur. Without repairing, it wouldn’t be advisable to take them to sea,” he added.
With the lockdown and the annual ban on fishing already affecting their livelihoods, the fishermen are looking to the government for help. The damage to the boats only added to the woes of the fishermen, Mr. Sesu Raja said and hoped the government would immediately take steps for inspection of the damages and compensate the fishermen.
“There is no way the fishermen can raise money for the repairs,” he added.
