Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Gidugu Rudra Raju on November 21 (Tuesday) said the government should provide financial assistance to the workers who eked out a living by working in the mechanised boats that were gutted at the Visakhapatnam fishing harbour on Sunday night.
In a statement, Mr. Rudra Raju lauded the government’s decision to extend 80% compensation to the owners of the boats who had lost their source of living.
“But the boat workers are in a similar situation, as it will take at least six more months for boats to be available to them for work,” Mr. Rudra Raju said.
He said it would be difficult for their families to sustain during this gap of six months, and demanded that the government provide financial support for six months to the 450 families of the boat workers.
Recalling a similar incident in 2012 at Bheemunipatnam in Visakhapatnam district during the Congress rule in the State, he said the government had then sanctioned houses to the affected 57 fishermen families, and the project was completed on a war-footing.
The Congress leader also raised concern over lack of safety measures at the jetties, which, he said, led to the destruction of 45 boats. He pointed out that nothing could be done till the fishermen arrived at the accident spot. He said night surveillance in the jetty area would help prevent recurrence of such incidents.
