Saturday, January 15 2005 14:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Nagapattinam: With the administration fully engaged in providing shelter for those rendered homeless after the tsunami ravaged this coastal district, the restoration of livelihood for thousands of affected fishermen still hangs in limbo.

With disbursement of compensation for the damaged boats and nets still in the primary stages, many fear that it would take many more months before fishermen could actually venture out into the sea.

"The Government is in the process of distributing compensation for damaged nets. In the first phase, Rs 10,000 will be paid for damaged catamaran nets, while Rs 20,000 will be paid for vallam (traditional boat) nets. The package for damages to boats is being worked out," says Tamil Nadu Rural Development Secretary Shantha Sheela Nair.

The administration had started disbursement of the first phase of compensation on Thursday (Jan 13, 2005) and more than 1,500 fishermen have received it, officials claimed. However, NGOs feel that the Government should speed up the process in order to restore the livelihood of thousands of affected fishermen at the earliest.