Goa has 1,200 odd trawlers in the state and now the government hasmade global positioning system (GPS) a compulsory fitting on board. The decision has been taken in the wake of 67 fishermen losing their lives to Cyclone Phyan in November. The state fisheries department had sent a proposal to the central government for the same, Fisheries Minister Joaquim Alemao said during the winter session of the Goa legislative assembly Tuesday.
Alemao informed that the government is thinking of making it compulsory. The central government has a scheme which covers Rs.1.5 lakh per boat for setting up of the GPS on board a trawler. Once fitted on board a vessel, GPS technology helps identify the exact location of a boat and is of tremendous assistance in tracking down boats or ships in distress.
The leader of the opposition party Manohar Parrikar expressed that families of several deceased fishermen had still not received compensation from the state government and from insurance agencies. He also said that the state government should indemnify the deaths of these poor trawler hands. Or their families will not even avail of the insurance cover. Parrikar further said that because 65 of the 67 fishermen who died in the cyclone were non-Goan, the deaths had gone relatively unnoticed.
