The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Eerie silence at fishermen village

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Eerie silence at fishermen village

By G. Nagaraja

NARSAPUR, DEC. 27. The trial of death and destruction was palpable at Chinnamynamvani Lanka on the seashore in West Godavari district even 36 hours after the death of eight fishermen.

The habitation with 18 houses was under a spell of eerie silence and wore a deserted look. The inhabitants were shifted to rehabilitation camps.

Water level recedes

Barring the cyclone shelter, all houses with collapsed walls and roofless tops bore the signs of the destruction.

Seawater receded by Monday noon resulting in formation of a huge sand bed around the village.

There was no activity in the habitation, save for officials undertaking enumeration work and a fleet of vehicles carrying VIPs and officials zooming through the dusty lanes as part of security arrangements for the visit of the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, in the evening.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister promised to provide pucca houses and toilets to those who were rendered shelterless in Narsapur and Mogaltur mandals. Addressing a public meeting at Chinamynavani Lanka, Dr. Reddy announced Rs. 1 lakh ex gratia to victims' families and offered to provide boats, nets and other material to fishermen.

While property loss was estimated at Rs. 3.50 crores, 18 houses, 150 country boats, 393 fishing nets and 14 aiyulu boats were damaged in 10 villages of the two mandals.

Uncertain future

Bodies of eight fishermen from Chinmynamvanilanka, Vemula Deevi and Saddukodapa were buried last night. Myla Somarajau, who performed last rites of his wife, Bhulokamma, said: "I used to earn Rs. 60 to Rs. 100 daily by fishing in the deep sea. There is no such guarantee due to the destruction of fishing nets," he said.

Meanwhile, help began pouring in from different quarters. The Union Minister of State for Mines, Dasari Narayana Rao, announced Rs. 10 lakhs from his MP grants for construction of houses to the victims.

The local MP, Chegondi Hariramajogaiah, promised to release a similar amount from his MPLADS funds.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh