The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that more than four months after the disappearance of Suvarna Tribuja, a fishing boat from Udupi, the seven fishermen onboard are still missing.
A press release issued by the NHRC dated May 13, posted on its website, said that reportedly, the India Navy stopped the search operation after finding the wreckage of the fishing boat 33 km west-south-west off the coast of Malvan in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. The boat had left for a deep sea fishing expedition.
The NHRC issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, to look into the contents of the news report and take immediate steps to redress the grievance of the relatives and family members of the missing fishermen.
ADVERTISEMENT
A notice has also been issued to the Union Defence Secretary to inform the commission about the latest update or status of the search operation, made in the meantime, by the Indian Navy in deep sea for the recovery of seven missing fishermen. Both the reports have to be submitted within six weeks.
Issuing the notices, the NHRC observed that the disappearance of the fishermen who went deep into the sea for fishing was a matter of serious concern. All of them were earning members of the family and belonged to the fishermen community of the region.
The reckless attitude of the public officials and government agencies with regard to whereabouts of the missing fishermen had aggravated the concern of the family members. The family members also had the legitimate expectation from the government agencies to make proper search to find out the missing fishermen, which according to the news report did not happen.
ADVERTISEMENT
It has further observed that the contents of the media report, referred by Adarsh G.K., General Secretary, Human Rights Forum, exemplifies the unabated failure to take timely action by the public authorities to find out the missing fishermen.
Life of the fishermen was very precious and should be protected under any cost and the government agencies had failed to take effective steps to prevent this kind of incident, the release said.