As the wait for the fishermen who had gone missing in Cyclone Ockhi continues, Kerala’s political leaders are still facing heat from the fishing community over the lapses in the rescue and rehabilitation activities.

On Friday morning, Finance Minister Thomas Isaac was reportedly blocked by residents of Adimalathura near the coastal area of Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram.

Fishermen are demanding that the compensation awarded by the state government to the family of victims be increased from Rs 20 lakh for those who died, and Rs 5 lakh for those injured in Cyclone Ockhi. 

They also demanded that the Minister increase the amount for fishermen, who can’t venture out into the sea after Cyclone Ockhi

Later, women from the area who met Thomas Isaac complained that the ration supplies that were supplied to them is substandard.

The Finance Minister, however, promised that the issue will be brought to the notice of the government and if required a meeting with the Chief Minister will be arranged. 

In Chellanam, a coastal area in Kochi former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, MLA Hibi Eden and former MLA Dominic Presentation were allowed to meet residents staging a protest, while local leaders were blocked.

Following Cyclone Ockhi, Chellanam residents have been protesting demanding that a seawall be constructed to protect them when the sea turns rough.

Some women at Chellanam have been staging a hunger strike for the past five days.

Oommen Chandy said that the demand raised by the protesters are just and he will take them to the notice of the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister.

Though local leaders like District Congress Committee president TJ Vinod had accompanied Chandy the protesters reportedly didn’t allow them to enter the protest venue.