Fishermen involved in rescue operation honoured; new rescue boats under consideration, says Minister
The government is considering new rescue boats for coastal police due to two grounded vessels, as Minister Bindu Krishna highlighted to address fisherman safety.
The government is considering new rescue boats for coastal police due to two grounded vessels, as Minister Bindu Krishna highlighted to address fisherman safety.
The government is considering new rescue boats for coastal police due to two grounded vessels, as Minister Bindu Krishna highlighted to address fisherman safety.
The government is seriously considering the procurement of new rescue boats for the coastal police to ensure immediate assistance to fishermen in distress at sea, Minister Bindu Krishna said.
She was speaking after inaugurating ‘Arivu’, an awareness program for fishermen organised under the ‘Theeronnathi’ initiative by the Fisheries Department in association with the State Fisheries Management Council. During the event, she also honoured the local fishermen who bravely participated in the flood rescue operations in Pathanamthitta.
"Currently, both of the coastal police’s rescue boats are grounded and out of commission. This lack of operational rescue vessels has unfortunately led to situations where fishermen have lost their lives due to delayed help. We will hold immediate discussions with the Fisheries Minister to find a swift resolution to this issue," the Minister said.
She added that the government’s core policy is to understand and actively address the hardships and needs of the fishing community. Highlighting their contributions, she noted that financial assistance has already been distributed to all fishermen who stepped forward to help during the recent flood rescue operations.
The Minister also emphasized that the government is committed to prioritizing the welfare of the fishing community, rising above political differences.
Mayor A K Hafeez presided over the function. Other key speakers included Muslim League District President Naushad Yunus, Deputy Mayor Karumalil Dr Udaya Sukumaran, Fisheries Deputy Director C S Sreedivya Rani, Councilor J Preetha, National Fishermen Congress District President Yesudasan, Independent Fishermen Union District Secretary Tobias, UTUC leader Tagore, Fisheries Extension Officer Smitha Gopal, and Coastal Police Circle Inspector C N Rajan Babu.
During the ceremony, the Minister honoured around 45 fishermen who had travelled with their boats to Pathanamthitta district to carry out heroic rescue operations during the floods in early August.