Succour to seamen

Succour to seamen

All our seamen brothers, who retired between the 1960s and the 80s receive a pittance of Rs200 per month from the so called ‘Seamen Welfare fund Society’. This is sent in a lumpsum for six months a time, and even this is irregular. The word ‘pension’ has remained alien to the Seamen Union of Mumbai and Kolkata and perhaps to the seamen all these years.
Seamen in Goa and in Mumbai have held meetings to highlight their demand of Rs5000 per month as pension. These men served in Iran, Iraq and Vietnam and the Falklands, with no insurance cover and did their duties without any benefits even in merchant navy ships plying in war zones.
The Chief Minister, other ministers and citizens should come to their rescue. Even after 65 years of independence, the seamen have still to struggle.

Bonnie Rodrigues, Majorda

As published in www.oheraldo.in