Fishers flag safety gaps, call for quick-response rescue service

An action committee of fishermen and fishing boat owners on Thursday sought immediate intervention of the Fisheries department in Kozhikode to set up a quick-access disaster response unit that can take action in case of emergency. They increased the demand, citing disruption of marine ambulance service near Beypore fishing harbour.

Action committee leaders, who recently led a protest outside the Fisheries department office in Beypore, complained that the Karunya marine ambulance, which was commissioned in January 2021 to coordinate sea rescue operations, was out of service as it spent over ₹6 crore to coordinate sea rescue operations. They claimed that no alternative arrangements had been made to address fishermen’s safety concerns.