Fishers to get better communication gadgets: Minister

The Centre was considering using technology to help fishermen during disasters and consultations were being held with officials about the scheme which would soon be launched in Tamil Nadu, he said. The necessity for such communication equipment was felt during cyclone ‘Ochki’ during which several fishermen were either stranded mid-sea or reported missing. The fishermen had blamed lack of advance information about the cyclone as a reason for their misery. 

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 weather, he added. 

“If Kanniyakumari district has to develop.,it should have port infrastructure, we have selected four sites for the port and efforts are on to establish a port at Enayam,” he said. 

“But some vested interests and selfish people are opposing the same. I have told chief minister (K Palaniswami) also about the Kanniyakumari 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 action against those who were instigating the public, he added. 

“If a port is established in Kanniyakumari, fishermen here need not go to other states and they could process fish and send it abroad from here,” he added.