Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy squarely blamed the coalition government’s negligence for the deaths of six fishermen in the Visakhapatnam boat tragedy, stating that the loss of lives could have been prevented had the authorities responded immediately after receiving distress information. After visiting the bereaved families and meeting Chinna, the lone survivor, YS Jagan demanded Rs. 1 crore compensation for each affected family and announced that YSRCP would provide Rs. 7 lakh each to the families of the deceased as well as to Chinna.
Rescue Delay Cost Six Lives
YS Jagan said seven fishermen had ventured into the sea for fishing when their boat capsized just 10 nautical miles from Gangavaram Port. While Chinna managed to survive by swimming for hours before being rescued by a Chinese vessel, the remaining six fishermen lost their lives. He said the victims’ families repeatedly alerted the Collector and other officials through phone calls and SOS messages on the night of July 4, but the government failed to initiate timely rescue operations.
“If the administration had acted immediately, more lives could have been saved,” he said, adding that the tragedy was the direct consequence of official negligence.
Government Must Accept Responsibility
Holding the government fully accountable, YS Jagan demanded Rs. 1 crore compensation for each bereaved family, saying the six fishermen were the sole breadwinners of their households. “If this government fails to provide justice, we will fulfil this promise when we return to power,” he said.
He criticised the government for limiting its response to a Rs. 10 lakh ex gratia, pointing out that this amount was itself enhanced from Rs. 5 lakh during the YSRCP government and was meant as a standard compensation for any fisherman’s death, not for a disaster caused by administrative failure.
Contradictory Official Versions Raise Serious Questions
YS Jagan questioned the government’s attempt to evade responsibility through conflicting official statements. While the three-member committee claimed information about the accident was received only at 5:00 a.m. on July 5, the victims’ families possess call records and text messages showing that SOS alerts had been sent to the Collector and police on the night of July 4.
He said these contradictions expose the government’s failure to respond despite receiving timely information.
Resources Were Available, Response Was Missing
Questioning the government’s preparedness, YS Jagan noted that Visakhapatnam houses the Indian Coast Guard and the Eastern Naval Command, besides possessing advanced maritime infrastructure. “Despite having all these resources, the government failed to launch an effective rescue operation when every minute mattered,” he said.
No Compassion from the Government
YS Jagan said what was even more painful was that neither the Chief Minister nor the Ministers handling Fisheries and Disaster Management had visited the affected families even days after the tragedy. “The government displayed neither urgency nor remorse. It simply appointed a three-member committee and attempted to close the chapter instead of accepting responsibility,” he said.
YSRCP’s Commitment to Fishermen
Recalling his government’s initiatives for the fishing community, YS Jagan said the YSRCP had developed ten fishing harbours and six fish landing centres to improve fishermen’s livelihoods and reduce operational risks. He also noted that his government had successfully secured the release of Andhra fishermen detained in Pakistan and Bangladesh by taking up the matter with the Centre. He criticised the coalition government for moving towards privatisation of ports, beginning with Juvvaladinne, instead of strengthening fishing infrastructure.
YSRCP announces Immediate Financial Assistance
YSRCP Visakhapatnam District President K.K. Raju announced that, on the directions of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the party would provide Rs. 7 lakh each to the families of the six deceased fishermen and Rs. 7 lakh to Chinna, the lone survivor. YS Jagan reiterated that YSRCP would continue to stand firmly with the affected families and fight until justice is delivered.
