A special control room for coordinating emergency rescue operations has started functioning at the Beypore Fisheries station in view of the monsoon season. The service of the control room (04952-414074) will be available 24x7 for exchanging details of fishermen and boats in case of any emergency situation.
According to Fisheries department officials, the support of rescue guards and rescue boats will be ensured throughout the season. Boat owners have been asked to keep a proper record of workers who leave for fishing and exchange it with the authorities in case of any untoward incidents.
Directions have also been issued to boat owners to ensure all emergency life-saving accessories and communication devices in fishing boats. The owners will be held responsible for any violation.
The Coastal Vigilance Committees will also keep an eye on fishers to ensure they comply with the latest instructions. Patrol boats of the marine enforcement squads and the Coastal Police will oversee the safety arrangements.
Meanwhile, boat owners in Beypore and Puthiyappa harbours complained that their demand to introduce a better wireless communication system for coordinating rescue operations was yet to be considered by the government. According to them, the existing wireless system was outdated and it could not be used to communicate with the systems in distantly located boats. The demand to hire a bigger fishing boat for coordinating emergency rescue operations during monsoon too has fallen on deaf ears, they added.
Only experienced fishermen with a well-equipped boat would be able to coordinate deep-sea rescue operations effectively, they said.
Fisheries department sources said the support of the Coast Guard and the Navy would be available in case of any emergencies. They added that proposals for updating the existing communication systems had already been brought to the attention of the higher authorities.
