Odisha fishermen, stuck in Chennai due to lockdown, return on boat by sea

Berhampur (Odisha), Apr 27 () Twenty five fishermenreached their native place in Odisha's Ganjam district onMonday after taking a sea voyage from Chennai where they werestuck due to the lockdown, officials said.

They landed at Ramayapatna beach and were immediatelytaken to a hospital for isolation, said Chikiti blockTehsildar Haraprasad Bhoi.

Twelve of them are from Ramayapatna, eight from PatiSonepur and five from Markandi villages, he said.

Preliminary screening of their health was conductedand they were provided food, Bhoi said.

The wooden boat they used to travel 1,100 km wasseized, he added.

Total 39 fishermen, including 14 from Andhra Pradesh,started their journey from Chennai on April 24, Bhoi said.

They rented the boat in Chennai, the tehsildar said,adding that those from Andhra Pradesh got down at Dankuru.

On April 20, 27 fishermen, including 10 from Ganjamdistrict, had sailed to the state and landed near Ichhapurmain Andhra Pradesh. Further, 38 fishermen had landed at thePati Sonepur coast on Saturday.

All of them are now in institutional quarantine indifferent villages, official sources said.

State Transport Minister Padmanabh Behera has directedthe police to maintain a strict vigil on the coastal area asmore and more people are taking the sea to return to the stateafter failing to other modes of transport due to the lockdown. CORR AAMSOM SOM