Mechanised boat owners have appealed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to have a re-look at GO Ms. No. 13 issued on October 22 listing out compensation amount to be given to fishermen for the damage caused to their vessels due to cyclone Hudhud.
“We are grateful to Mr. Naidu for responding positively to our representation for payment of compensation. But the GO will not benefit us wholly if it is not amended to permit sunken boats salvaged and repaired after getting a compensation of Rs.6 lakh,” Association of Indian Fishery Industries president Y.G.K. Murti said on Sunday.
Presidents of AP Mechanised Boat Owners’ Welfare Association and Dolphin Boat Owners’ Welfare Association P.C. Appa Rao and Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy, who were present, said they had raised their objection to insistence by Fisheries Department officials to scrap the sunken boats and cancel its licence as the pre-requisite to get Rs.6 lakh compensation.
A new boat will cost Rs.25 lakh to Rs.30 lakh. So Rs.6 lakh compensation would not help them to buy a new one and it can best be used for making the sunken boat retrieved and repaired to make it seaworthy, they stated.
They also pointed out that the compensation promised in the GO for loss of livelihood was restricted to only dry fish sellers and a few others. All those who lose their income in the aftermath of Hudhud should get cash compensation besides rice being given as part of relief to the cyclone-affected fishermen and vendors.
