Vehicle Movement inside Malpe Harbour Prohibited after 6 p.m – Joint Director Vivek
Udupi: “It will also prohibit the movement of vehicles inside the harbour after 6 p.m. besides asking the Police Department to enhance night vigil in the harbour”, said department Joint Director R Vivek. He was chairing a meeting regarding preparations to ensure a safe fishing holiday attended by representatives of fishermen’s associations in Udupi. The meeting also decided to deploy security guards at all diesel bunks in the harbour and keep CCTV cameras in working condition.
The Fisheries Department will ask the Fire and Emergency Services Department to keep fire-fighting vehicles ready. At the same time, thousands of deep-sea fishing vessels remain berthed at Malpe fishing harbour during the fishing holiday till July 31.
Vivek said that the fishing vessel owners may undertake repair work on their boats using generators between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. after obtaining the necessary permission from the department. Fishing vessels from other states may be allowed inside the harbour only in emergencies while they would not be permitted to off-load the catch.
Malpe Fishermen Association president Dayananda Suvarna noted that vessels worth crores of rupees lay berthed at the harbour during the fishing holiday and their safety should be ensured. While police patrol should be intensified, the fire fighting vehicles should be kept ready, he demanded.
Association Secretary Jagannath Kadekar, Traditional Fishing Boats Cooperative Society Secretary R K Gopal, Deep-Sea Trawl Boat Association President Subhash Mendon, officials from the police, Coastal Police, and the Fire and Emergency Services Departments were present.