In the tragic aftermath of cyclone Ockhi which hit the coastal regions of Kerala, the state human rights commission (SHRC) has instructed the government’s food safety department to check the quality of fishes sold in the state.
The SHRC was acting on a complaint made by PV Michele, a native of Athirampuzha, that the fishes brought from other states are of poor quality, as per a report in the Times of India.
"Government departments should ensure the availability of healthy food products. The health and food safety department should conduct inspections and take necessary measures regarding the complaints received in this regard. The situation was similar before the calamity struck here," SHRC member K Mohankumar told ToI.
The report adds that shortage of fish has hit the fish business in Connemara Market, Palayam and other areas with several stalls remaining shut for days.
The cyclone has severely affected the fish vendors in the state, with people skeptical about the quality of fishes sold in the market.
With the fish at a premium, the market price of the commodity has also increased, the report adds.
Meanwhile, with 12 more bodies being recovered on Wednesday, the official death toll due to Ockhi cyclone has reached 66 in the state.
A report also said that nine bodies were recovered off the Kozhikode coast in Beypore during joint search operations conducted by the Marine Enforcement Wing (MEW) of the fisheries department and the coastal police. A body each was also retrieved from Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram.
Officials of the state control room have declared that 39 bodies are yet to be identified, which has made hundreds of family members of fishermen reported missing tense.
According to official estimates, 2,844 people have been rescued since the cyclone hit the Kerala coast.
After a Cabinet meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the search operations for the missing fishermen will be intensified further. He also added that defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has assured all help in intensifying search operations by Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force, reported Deccan Chronicle.