Fishermen seek ex gratia for losses due to cyclone

Mumbai: Fishermen community from Mumbai have complained of huge losses in the absence of fishing last week owing to cyclone Kyarr.

In the wake of back-to-back cyclones, many boats have been unable to venture into the sea while others have had to return midway after warnings issued by the meteorological department.

In the Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts where the impact of the cyclone has been high, some boats have been destroyed altogether.

The fishermen’s group Akhil Maharashtra Machchimar Kruti Samiti (AMMKS) have demanded that a detailed study be carried out regarding loss and destruction incurred by fishermen during cyclone Kyarr and proper compensation be provided.

“Since October, the fishermen have not been able to carry out fishing due to rough weather and cyclones over the sea. Many fishermen who went for deep fishing and spent 10 to 12 days at sea returned empty-handed, while some had to return midway due to the warnings. As such, we have lost the catch for almost the entire month of October,” said Damodar Tandel, president of AMMKS.

“The state should compensate and provide sufficient loans even to fishermen in case of such natural disasters, like the agricultural loans provided to farmers,” said Mr Tandel.

Ganesh Nakhwa, president, Maharashtra Purse Seine Net Fishermen Welfare Association, said that his organisation has been seeking zero-interest loans from the fisheries department.

“September and October are among the peak months where the fish catch is in abundance, but due to cyclones, we could not make the most of it. Till September alone, we had already incurred losses up to `500 crore across Maharashtra. October further worsened the situation,” he said.

Swapnil Tandel, a marine researcher, shed light on the plight of fishermen in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. “The same boat, which was involved in rescuing whale sharks earlier this month is now at the bottom of the sea. Timely compensation is a must for fishermen to overcome the tremendous losses they have incurred during the cyclone,” he said.