Fishermen in this island had been advised not to venture into the sea for today and tomorrow as a depression was hovering near Andaman.
Twenty boats were damaged as sea water entered the boats and 50 fishing nets were torn due to heavy winds, Fisheries Department officials said.
Heavy rains caused extensive damages to the boats and fishing nets of fishermen from Thangachimadam, Pamban and Mandapam.
Keeping in view the dipping income sources of the
affected fishermen, the state government had earlier launched Rice for Olive Ridley Conservation (RORC) programme.
The beneficiary families are being provided 25 KG rice every month at Rs one a KG, said officials.
A total of 8,068 marine fishermen families from the seaside villages of Kendrapara, Ganjam, Puri are being covered under RORC social security scheme, said Additional Fisheries Officer, Paradip, Bharat Bhusan Sahoo.
Every year, the state government clamps 7-month ban on sea-fishing in a 20 KM radius sea territory stretching from Dhamara to Devi river mouth.
In accordance with the Odisha Marine Fisheries Regulatory Act, 1983, the prohibitory orders on sea fishing remain effective from November 1 to May 31.
The legal embargo on fishing remains in force to ensure the safety of breeding turtles who perish in large numbers either by getting entangled in mono-filament fishing nets or by getting hit by propellers of trawls.
