Centre to provide communication equipment to deep-sea fishers

The Centre was mulling a scheme to provide communication gadgets to fishermen involved in deep sea fishing so that they could seek help during natural disasters, Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan today said.
The Centre was considering using technology to help the fishermen during disasters and consultations were being held with officials and concerned ministry on the scheme which would be launched in Tamil Nadu, he told reporters here.
It was aimed at helping the fishermen who go on deep sea fishing to communicate about their location and other information, he said.
The necessity for such communication equipment was felt during cyclone "Ochki" which hit the district and neighbouring Kerala and union territory of Lakshadweep in November-December last year.

Several fishermen were either stranded mid-sea or reported missing in the cyclone that wrecked havoc in Kanyakumari.
Fishermen had blamed lack of advance information about the cyclone as a reason for their miseries.

Radhakrishnan said information boards giving alerts on adverse weather conditions would be set up in ten coastal locations in Tamil Nadu.
It would provide information regarding wind, storm and other weather aspects, he added.
Referring to the proposed Enayam port project in the district, the union minister said some 'vested' interests were opposing it and wanted the state government to take action against them.
"If Kanyakumari district has to develop.. it should have port infrastructure, we selected four sites for the port and efforts are being taken to establish the port in Enayam," he said.

Radhakrishnan said not even a single house would be removed for the port.
"But some vested interests and selfish people are opposing the same. I have told chief minister (K Palaniswami) also about the Kanayakumari port project..I have told him nobody will be affected by the port," he said.
He said those against the development of the district were opposing the port. The government should take firm action against those who were instigating the public, he added.
"If a port is established in Kanyakumari, the district fishermen need not go to other states for any purpose. Fish could be processed and sent abroad from here," he added.