Fishing vessels putting out to sea from the Kerala coast will be equipped with satellite-based navigation devices from next month to ensure safety at sea.
Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma said here on Tuesday that NAVIC, India's own regional satellite navigation system, sets designed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and manufactured by Keltron would be ready for distribution to fishermen by the second week of May. A press note quoting her said ISRO chairman K. Sivan had communicated the information to the government.
The Minister, who held discussions with scientists at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, said the NAVIC sets would incorporate a potential fishing zone advisory to help fishermen locate shoals and provide advance market information.
The NAVIC device uses India’s own regional satellite navigation system to warn fishermen about weather events. A master control room and six regional control rooms located in the coastal areas would disseminate information to fishermen in Malayalam through the NAVIC sets up to a distance of 1,500 km from the coast.
The system was devised following the death of more than 100 fishermen in Cyclone Ockhi late last year.
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron) has entered into a pact with the ISRO to incorporate a Distress Alert Transmitter into the NAVIC device.
The agreement for transfer of technology was signed by Keltron Managing Director T.R. Hemalatha and Group Director, Space Applications Centre, ISRO, S.N. Sathashia at the SAC headquarters, Ahmedabad. SAC Director Tapan Misra was present.
DAT is a low cost, floating device with an inbuilt satellite receiver that transmits emergency messages at intervals to alert search and rescue agencies.
A press note issued by Keltron said 10 NAVIC devices manufactured by Keltron had cleared the quality tests by the ISRO. It said Keltron was preparing a new assembly line for the manufacture of NAVIC sets equipped with the DAT system.
