Jagan demands higher compensation

Visakhapatnam: Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy demanded that the TDP government provide adequate ex-gratia to the fishermen who lost their livelihood. He assured the fishing community that YSR Congress would mount pressure on the State to ensure speedy relief and rehabilitation works.

“It is very sad that the State has not begun the enumeration work to assess the loss and damage and fishermen are given a pittance though 400 boats were badly damaged and 600 boats have gone missing. The damaged boats should be repaired immediately and ex-gratia should be given to them till the time the boats are put on sail,” he told reporters after visiting the Visakhapatnam harbor area which was ravaged the Hudhud cyclone that played havoc with the fishing community living close to the coast.

The State had miserably failed in addressing the problems of the fishermen whose boats were damaged. The government should bear the cost of repairing the damaged boats and should pay an ex-gratia of Rs 20,000 per family till the boats are set for sail and their economic activity is restored.

Each boat would carry eight persons and there were nearly 22 families depend on them directly or indirectly, he said and demanded that Rs 50,000 be given to each family as compensation at this time of crisis. The compensation announced by the government was meager, Jagan said.

The magnitude of the loss and tragedy was very high and as 600 boats were still to be traced, he said.