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

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Press Trust of India Berhampur (Odisha)
Twenty five fishermen

reached their native place in Odisha's Ganjam district on Monday after taking a sea voyage from Chennai where they were stuck due to the lockdown, officials said.
They landed at Ramayapatna beach and were immediately taken to a hospital for isolation, said Chikiti block Tehsildar Haraprasad Bhoi.
Twelve of them are from Ramayapatna, eight from Pati Sonepur and five from Markandi villages, he said.
Preliminary screening of their health was conducted and they were provided food, Bhoi said.
The wooden boat they used to travel 1,100 km was seized, 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 Ganjam district, had sailed to the state and landed near Ichhapurma in Andhra Pradesh. Further, 38 fishermen had landed at the Pati Sonepur coast on Saturday.
All of them are now in institutional quarantine in different villages, official sources said.
State Transport Minister Padmanabh Behera has directed the police to maintain a strict vigil on the coastal area as more and more people are taking the sea to return to the state after failing to other modes of transport due to the lockdown.

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First Published: Apr 27 2020 | 10:18 PM IST

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