Fishermen Reject HM’s Appeal, Decide to Hold Protest on Jan 6
Udupi: The Fishermen rejected the request of Home minister M B Patil and decided to hold the protest by shutting down all fishing operations in three coastal districts and stage the ‘rasta roko’ on NH 66 at Karavali Junction on January 6.
The minister after arriving in Udupi on January 5, visited the missing fishermen’s houses and later held a meeting with the fishermen leaders along with MLA’s and the police officials at the DC office Manipal.
Explaining the search operations for the missing fishermen, Udupi SP Laxman Nimbragi said, “On December 22, a complaint was received at the Malpe police station that the fishing boat “Suvarna Tribhuja” owned by Chandrashekar bearing registration number IND-02-MM-4632 had gone for fishing along with 6 other fishing boats. Boat owner Chandrashekar along with fishermen Damodar, Lakshman, Sathish, Ravi, Harish and Ramesh had left from Mlape port for deep sea fishing on December 13. They were in contact with other fishermen until 1:00 am on December 15. Thereafter their whereabouts are not known”.
During the course of investigations, all the police stations across the country and the Coast Guard through Coastal Security Police were informed. The Udupi District Police formed three teams and one team from CSP and deputed it on special duty for searching the missing persons along with ther boat in Goa and Maharashtra.
Udupi District Police and CSP contacted the Navy and Coast Guard for the search operations since the boat had gone missing in the deep seas. The search is being carried out aerially by helicopters and ships.
The Indian Coast Guard has pressed into service their ships, hovercrafts, Dornier aircraft and helicopters carrying out air-sea search operations in coordination with commercial ships and Marine Police Boats for the missing fishermen and boat.
Udupi district Police and CSP team met the top police officers and the coastal police of Goa, Sidhudurg, Malwan and Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra. IGP Western Range, ISD, Karnataka and SP Udupi have personally communicated with their counterparts of the west coast states in this regard.
The DGP, Karnataka has requested the JD(IS), MHA to take up the matter with the Ministry of Defense to direct the Indian Navy to intensify the search operations. In this regard, MHA has taken up the matter at the highest level with MoD.
As the CSP alerted the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard ships are involved in the search operations in probable areas. The ICG aircrafts and other surface units at sea have been directed to maintain a sharp lookout for the missing boat and fishermen, he said.
Addressing the meeting Home Minister M B Patil said, “It is unfortunate that our seven fishermen have gone missing during deep sea fishing. From day one the state and central governments have put maximum efforts to trace the fishermen. We are also praying that they return home safe. Since the fishing boat had gone missing in the Maharashtra border we will call a meeting with Maharashtra Home minister soon. It is not a question of the State or Union government, it is a combined effort. Both the state and Union governments have continued their search operations. Let us hope for the fishermen to return safely. I also urge the fishermen leaders to withdraw the protest which was scheduled on January 6”.
Home Minister M B Patil has promised of high-level search operation to trace the missing seven fishermen and instructed the police and coastal security personnel to intensify their efforts. Both state and central governments had jointly taken up the search operation. He urged people not to politicise the issue as it was the question of lives of seven people.
Ruling out the possibilities of hijack by Maharashtra fishermen or involvement of terror elements, Patil said that prima facie theory of hijack was not working out as per the discussion held with the Coast Guard and police.
He said that the other problems faced by the fishermen from the state as well as those from Goa and Maharashtra will be sorted out by holding discussions with his counterparts of both the states.
A SOS system, which facilitates the distress call while in danger, will be fitted to the fishing boats to avoid such mishaps in the future.
Sophisticated technologies will be used in the boats which is suitable for the Indian conditions after studying the problems encountered by the fishermen at sea.
Meanwhile the fishermen have refused to withdraw the protest and said that, already 22 days have passed and still the fisheries minister has not visited the district. The district minister in-charge had also neglected the issue which shows the governments concern for the fishermen. The Deputy commissioner and Superintendent of Police have put their best effort in the search for the fishermen and have co-operated well with the fishermen. We have already informed the fishermen of Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttar Kannada and many are already on their to participate in the protest. We are not ready to withdraw our scheduled protest, they said.
The Home minister tired his best to convince the fishermen but failed in his efforts. Finally MB Patil instructed the District minister Dr Jayamala to visit the protest venue and receive the memorandum from the fishermen. He also instructed the district police to provide adequate security during the protest.