Goa CM announces Rs 5 lakh aid each to kin of 6 fishing labourers who died of dehydration

PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of fish workers in the state, who died of dehydration on their return to a fishing jetty at Cutbona village earlier this week.

Sawant gave this information to reporters on Wednesday after paying a visit to the jetty at the village in South Goa along with state Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira and local MLA Cruz Silva to take stock of the situation.

"Six labourers working on a fishing boat died allegedly due to dehydration. Of the six persons, three were brought to a local hospital dead. The death of all these workers is saddening," he said.

He announced a compensation of Rs five lakh for the kin of each of the six labourers on behalf of the state government.

The boat owner should also pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of each deceased labourer, the CM said, adding that the safety of labourers is boat owners' responsibility.

State fisheries department has been asked to frame Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the labourers on fishing boats, he said.

"The health department will also lay down SOPs for maintaining hygiene on these boats," he said, adding that the district authorities have been asked to monitor the situation.

The boat owners should take the responsibility of the hygiene on the vessel and about the health of the labourers, according to Sawant.