Mangaluru: State Minister for Fisheries, Ports, and Inland Water Transport, Mankal S Vaidya, on Friday, visited the families of Yashavanth Karkera and Kamalaksha Salian, two fishermen from Bengre who have been missing since May 29 after heading out to sea.
Offering his sympathies, the minister handed over cheques of ₹10 lakh each from the Fishermen’s Distress Relief Fund to the bereaved families. He assured them that the search efforts are still underway and that the government will extend all possible support during this difficult time.
Highlighting an improvement in relief measures, Vaidya noted that the compensation amount, earlier capped at ₹8 lakh, has now been raised to ₹10 lakh to provide better financial help to the affected families.
MLA Vedavyas Kamath, MLC Ivan D’Souza, and fisheries department officials including Director Dinesh Kumar, Joint Director Siddhaya, and Deputy Director Dilip Kumar, along with leaders from various fishermen’s associations, were also present.
Earlier in the day, the minister chaired a safety meeting at the Coast Guard office in Mangaluru. The focus was on enhancing safety measures for fishermen while at sea.
“Fishing is a life-risking profession. It is our responsibility to ensure their safety. Proper equipment, early warnings during high tides, and a swift emergency response system are essential,” Vaidya emphasized.
Officials from the Coast Guard, senior fisheries department personnel, and key representatives from fishermen’s groups actively participated in the discussion.
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