PM Modi meets fishermen families hit by Ockhi

KOCHI: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday has submitted a Rs 7,340 crore package to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the rehabilitation of those who are affected by the Ockhi cyclone and for rebuilding the facilities in the coastal regions.

This is in addition to the package of Rs 422 crore prepared as per the guidelines of the National Disaster Relief fund. Vijayan also wanted the Ockhi disaster to be declared a national tragedy. The Prime Minister said the government will favourably consider his proposal. Meanwhile, one more body of a fisherman was recovered near Kozikkode on Tuesday taking the total death toll due to Ockhi to 72 people.

Modi assured the fishermen community in the Ockhi-ravaged coastal Kerala that the Centre will provide all possible assistance to bring back the missing fishermen. He expressed hope that that the search agencies would be able to find the missing fishermen before Christmas. “The country is with you”, he assured the fishermen in Poonthura near Thiruvananthapuram.