Chennai, The search to trace five fishermen from Kasimedu missing following Cyclone Murasu has been intensified, and a Tamil Nadu minister is camping in Andhra Pradesh to expedite the activities, an official said on Friday, even as DMK MP Kanimozhi slammed the state government for allegedly failing to launch an immediate rescue operation.
Finance Minister N Marie Wilson is currently in Andhra Pradesh on the orders of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, and is coordinating with the officials there.
The ICG has been involved in the massive search operation to trace the five fishermen, the official said.
Kanimozhi strongly criticised the ruling TVK government for its alleged negligence and slow response regarding the Kasimedu fishermen incident. “I express my deepest condolences to the families who are suffering from their loss. He, however, assured that the government would strictly streamline marine safety protocols and enforcement mechanisms moving forward to prevent such lapses from recurring. The government has taken responsibility for the full cost and logistics of transporting the recovered bodies from the RIMS Hospital in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, back to their homes in Kasimedu, here.
Chief Minister Vijay, who condoled the deaths, sanctioned an initial state relief compensation of ₹ 7 lakh for each affected family.
In a statement, she said the news of the death of Kasimedu fishermen who were caught in Cyclone Murasu is deeply painful. The TVK government, which acted “negligently even during a disaster, must take immediate responsibility for this tragedy and must increase and provide higher relief compensation to the families of the deceased fishermen,” the DMK deputy general secretary said. Earlier, speaking to reporters, Wilson said the ill-fated mechanised boat lacked mandatory safety gear, proper commercial insurance, and vital regulatory documents.
