Cong demands help to fishing boat workers families

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Gidugu Rudra Raju demanded the state government to render financial assistance to the 450 fishing boat workers, who lost their livelihood due to destruction of boats in the fire accident that took place at the fishing harbour in Vizag on Sunday.

Rudra Raju said it will take six months to get the new boats. In a press release on Tuesday, he welcomed the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s announcement that the state government would pay 80 per cent compensation for the loss suffered by the boat owners but asked about the fate of workers who lost their livelihood.

The Congress state chief said due to lack of fire safety measures 42 boats were destroyed in the mishap and fishermen could not also extinguish the fire till the fire personnel reached the spot. He suggested that the state government increase the vigil in the harbour and take security measures to prevent mishaps.

He recalled that homes of 57 fishermen were destroyed in Bhimunipatnam in Visakhapatnam district in 2012 due to fire accident and the then Congress government constructed new houses to the affected families.

He said during the Congress rule, subsidy was released promptly on the diesel to the fishermen he said while alleging that the current YSRCP government is not releasing subsidy promptly.