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Ockhi lesson: Govt to provide VHF walkie-talkies
After cyclone ‘Ockhi’, the government is planning to provide Very High Frequency (VHF) walkie talkies to fishermen involving in deep-fishing. The move comes after the fishing communities across the state have blamed the government machinery for showing negligence during natural calamities especially when there are cyclones, which affect them the most.
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Chennai
Members say that the government should formulate a proper mechanism to give them early information to save lives of fishermen, who are involved in deep fishing. Further, the coast guard along with the government should provide highly advanced equipment to fishermen for sharing weather-related communication, when they are several miles into the sea.
According to them, around 10 lakh fishermen are involved in fishing across the state. But, the government does little to provide necessary help during times of emergencies. The fishermen also pointed out that this negligence is despite the fact that fishing is one of the main factors for the growth of the country.
K Bharathi, president of South Indian Fishermen Association, said, “The government should sense the fact that more number of fishermen are involved in deep-fishing. At times we stay in the sea for nearly 20 to 40 days within a radius 350 to 400 km. However, we are provided only with Global Position System (GPS) devices.”
“Even former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in her poll manifesto in 2011, had assured that more number of cell phone towers and helipads in coastal districts would be established and implementation of such measures will help in speedy rescue of stranded fishermen, whenever there are changes in weather systems over the sea,” he noted.
Similarly, Kurumbanai Berlin, district secretary of Neithal Makkal Iyakkam, Kanniyakumari district, said “Fishermen are always at the receiving end. We are being attacked and arrested. Further, we need to face natural calamities. At least the government should find out the lasting solution to the natural calamities.”
The government has continuously been neglecting them, he added. On being contacted by DT NEXT, Fisheries Minister, D Jayakumar assured that the government will soon identify fishermen involving in the deep-fishing and provide them with a Very High Frequency walkie talkie.
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