Boat tragedy: Families of missing fishermen refuse to accept compensation

Mangaluru, 12 May 2019 [Fik/News Sources]: Although the state government has released Rs 10 lakh compensation to each of the families of the missing fishermen aboard the unfortunate deep sea trawler ‘Suvarna Tribhuja’, the families have refused to accept the compensation.

The state had released a total of Rs 10 lakh as compensation to each family including Rs 6 lakh from Karnataka State Fishermen’s Calamity Relief Fund and Rs 4 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund on May 9, which was announced by Dr Jayamala.

It is said that one of the reasons for not accepting the compensation is that the families would be required to execute an indemnity bond. The compensation is paid only in cases of death however, none of the departments have so far announced that the said fishermen have died and are rather treating them as missing. Accepting the compensation is tantamount to accepting the fact that the fishermen are no more, feel the fishermen families from Malpe and Bhatkal.

On the other hand, if incase the fishermen do return back alive, the compensation amount would have to be returned back to the government. The normal protocol is to obtain indemnity bonds in cases where death certificates cannot be issued because of legal hurdles. It is learnt that the families are not ready to sign the bond.