As per report from sources it was stated that the livelihood loss suffered by fishermen due to the oil spill off Chennai coast last month was estimated at 135 crore and the Tamil Nadu government has urged the Director General of Shipping to ensure that the funds are released from insurance companies. The Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had also distributed the interim relief to fishermen affected by the oil spill and Cyclone Vardah and said that he has urged Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari to grant an interim relief of 75 crore during their meeting in New Delhi last week.
Edappadi Palaniswami had said that about 15,000 fishing families were given an interim relief of 5,000 each. The oil spill, following the collision of two ships off the Chennai coast on January 28, had spread to about 104 km of the coast and had affected fishermen from Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts.
“Based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, a letter has been
sent to the Director General of Shipping, urging that the estimated loss of 135.37
crore be released from insurance companies". Mr. Palaniswami had said
works for boosting the fishing infrastructure has been undertaken to the tune
of 1,105 crore during the last five years. He also recalled the efforts taken
by the State government for the retrieval of Katchatheevu islet from Srilanka.
The Chief Minister had also elaborated on the welfare schemes implemented in the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituency, which had elected former Chief Minister Jayalalitha.
