Thiruvananthapuram sources have reported that the Kerala government had decided to expand the search operations up to Goan shores and the decision to intensify the search mission was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with representatives of fishermen's outfits, boat owners' association and members of the Latin Catholic Church, to which most of the affected fishermen belong.
Meanwhile as per official figures, 71 persons had lost their lives and 105 fishermen are still missing in the deadly cyclone, which hit the state's shores on November 29-30. Moreover Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive here on December 19 to take stock of the post-Ockhi situation. The Chief Minister said the search would be expanded with support of marine enforcement and local fishing boat owners.
Furthermore the state government had
announced, among other things, Rs 20 lakh to families of fishermen killed in
the cyclone. Pinarayi Vijayan said the LDF government's aim was to provide
houses for all homeless fishermen by 2018-19 under its ambitious LIFE mission
program.
