Kanniyakumari District Collector Sajjansingh R. Chavan has informed that 601 fishermen are still missing in the District in the post-Cyclone Ockhi phase.

Chavan visited the fishermen’s families along the coastal areas in the District which were ravaged by ‘Cyclone Ockhi’ in the last week of November. Chavan consoled the families of fishermen who died in the tragedy and assured other families that the Govt. of Tamil Nadu and the District administration were doing their best in tracing the missing fishermen who were caught in deep-seas during the cyclone strayed too far away shores in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Speaking to newsmen in Nagercoil, Chavan said “So far, 601 fishermen from Kanniyakumari haven’t yet returned home after they were found missing soon after the cyclone. Rehabilitation assistance of Rs.3500 is being provided to 32,000 families of fishermen which have been affected by the cyclone. This amount would be deposited to the registered bank accounts of the fishermen within 3 days,” and added that death certificates in respect of dead fishermen would be given in 3 months’ time.

In the meantime, thousands of family members of missing fishermen from 12 villages in Kanniyakumari and Nagercoil formed a human chain along the coast protesting against lack of pace in efforts to trace the missing fishermen. They also raised slogans against the State Government.