Uniform colour for fishing boats, now

Uniform colour for fishing boats, now

FPJ BureauUpdated: Saturday, June 01, 2019, 03:53 AM IST
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Mumbai : Fishing boats may soon have a uniform colour scheme to ensure coastal security while a Marina is being planned by the Mumbai Port Trust to provide a common landing place for sail boats at two of its docks in Mazgaon.

This was decided during a Joint Review Meeting held at Joint Operations Centre in Naval Dockyard on Friday, where discussions were held with various stakeholders on the status of coastal security in Maharashtra.

According to an officer from the Indian Navy, it was decided by the fisheries department to have a uniform colour scheme for all fishing boats. “This step is being taken to make it easy for the authorities to recognise fishermen’s boats,” the officer said.

However, Damodar Tan-del, President of the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti, said that their boats cannot have a uniform colour scheme unless they are provided with funds for this by the state government.

“The cost of painting one small boat is around 10 to 15 thousand, and for a bigger one it’s between 20 and 25 thousand. Fishermen do not have that kind of money,” Tandel said.

He also expressed reservations about the plan as once a colour scheme is indentified it would make infiltration all the more easier. “If a boat from outside India with the same colour scheme tries to enter the country’s borders, the authorities may get complacent and let it pass,” Tandel added.

In the absence of a common landing place for sailboats arriving in Mumbai, it has been decided to set plans in motion to construct a Marina where all sailboats can dock and be screened effectively. “The current landing place for sailboats is Gateway of India, which is a tourist spot and always crowded. The Marina will provide adequate space and scope for effective screening for security purposes,” the officer said.

“We have zeroed in on Princess and Victoria Docks, in Mazgaon, as the probable locations for the Marina,” said the Chairman of MbPT Ravi Parmar.

Also, the various stakeholders present at the meeting decided to increase intelligence sharing through a multi agency centre to ensure effective coordination in matters of coastal security and its management.

The meeting was presided over by Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command and the chief secretary of the state government Swadheen Kshatriya. Also in attendance were various senior officers of the Western Naval Command, representatives of the state Fisheries Department and the Mumbai Port Trust, among others.

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