As many as 23,458 fisherfolk, including single women, on Tuesday received a total of ₹107.90 crore, given by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to compensate for the impact on their livelihood due to the ongoing pipeline project in Kakinada and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema districts. Each affected fisherman is entitled to a compensation of ₹11,500 a month and the present term is for four months—October 2022-January 2023. In Kakinada, 7,050 fishermen have been affected in Tallarevu mandal alone, and they received ₹32.43 crore. In Konaseema, ₹75.47 crore was released to 16,408 fishermen and single women.
Fishing in the vicinity of the project has been fully banned since ONGC is laying a 20-inch pipe from an offshore platform to its onshore plant at Mallavaram village, passing through the mouth of Gowthami river, to develop the block KG-DWN-98/2.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy released the ₹107.90 crore compensation by pressing a button during a programme held in Nizampatnam in Bapatla mandal. Amalapuram MP Ch. Anuradha, Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha, B.C. Welfare Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna and Social Welfare Minister P. Viswaroop attended the virtual meeting from Kakinada and Katrenikona in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.