The National Fisherfolk Forum has urged Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Indian Coast Guard officers to seek an explanation from the Coast Guard station in Puducherry for the recent incident of illegal ferrying of birdwatchers from here.
Talking to reporters here on Saturday, M. Ilango, chairperson of the NFF, said the mechanised boat in which 18 persons, including 15 birdwatchers, set out into the sea faced difficulties when the engine developed a technical snag.
Mr. Ilango wanted to know whether the boat had the necessary licence to ferry tourists, particularly the bird watchers.
The authorities should also probe whether the boat had necessary licence for Scuba diving.
The Coast Guard should have ascertained and inspected the facilities in the boat.
Questions were also being raised about the security measures and whether the passengers were really birdwatchers.
All these issues should be probed and the Union Defence Minister should seek a clarification from the Coast Guard station in Puducherry in the larger interest of safety and security aspects, Mr. Ilango added.
