MARGAO
When fishing vessels from neighbouring Karnataka reportedly entered Goa’s five-km fishing zone on Monday morning, the coastal police stations at Talpona and Betul couldn’t act and intercept the fishing vessels.
Reason: Interceptors with the coastal police stations across the state have been lying down and out for the last several months. Inquiries only revealed that these interceptor vessels, not in operation for the last several months, have been towed away to the coastal police stations.
Sources in the know informed that the interceptors with the coastal police stations, numbering around nine has been out of order for want of maintenance. That’s not all. The police department was scheduled to go for a state-of-the-art interceptor to maintain vigil along the coastal, but in vain.
When The Goan tried to find out the state of the interceptors at the disposal of the coastal police stations, a senior officer only remarked that the government and the police higher-ups are seized of the matter.
“We have no idea whether the government would go for an Annual Maintenance contract to make these interceptors afloat, or opt for a new state-of-the-art interceptor”, remarked a senior officer, further saying the government would be in a better position to comment on the status of the interceptor vessels.
The traditional fisherman who provided the Goa team with his speed boat in pursuit of Karnataka vessels. Santosh Mirajkar
Traditional fisherman Pele Fernandes, who arranged his water sports speed boat to carry the coastal police and fisheries officials in pursuit of the outside fishing vessels, made a fervent plea to the government to tone up the infrastructure and logistics with the coastal security. “Today, we had to confront fishing vessels from the neighbouring state fishing close to our coastal. Just because I volunteered to provide my speed boat, we could impound the two vessels. The story would have been different”, he added.
