Officials Plan No-Smoking Zone at Vizag Fishing Harbour After Recent Fire Mishap

by Fishery News

Visakhapatnam district officials are taking proactive measures to convert the Vizag fishing harbour area into a designated no-smoking zone following a recent fire incident that destroyed nearly 50 boats. The mishap highlighted the unsafe practice of fishermen leaving diesel tanks full and cooking gas cylinders unattended on their anchored boats, posing a significant risk of fire outbreaks.

Fisheries Joint Director, Shaik Lal Mohammad, expressed concerns about the potential for a chain reaction of fiery chaos due to the storage of flammable inventories on boats. To mitigate this risk, authorities are planning to enforce a no-smoking rule at the fishing harbour with the collaboration of other departments like the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation and city police.

In response to the recent fire incident, officials have earmarked a five-acre area near the 11th and 12th jetty within the harbour to salvage and refurbish the gutted boats. The vessels, lifted from the sea with heavy cranes, will undergo restoration, focusing on preserving the intact bottoms and steel components. Financial aid has been distributed to boat owners affected by the fire, with a total of INR 6.5 crore allocated for completely damaged boats and nearly 70 lakh for partially damaged ones. Additionally, the 376 people working on these boats have been provided financial assistance of 10,000 each.

Addressing concerns about fishermen’s safety and losses, National Fisherfolk Forum General Secretary Arjili Dasu emphasized the need for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, which includes provisions for insurance for fishing vessels and fishermen. However, Dasu noted that the proposed benefits are yet to reach the fishermen.

Vasupalli Janakiram, President of the Andhra Pradesh Mechanised Boat Owners’ Association, highlighted the importance of insurance for fishermen to recover losses in case of untoward incidents. The Vizag fishing harbour, home to about 750 mechanised boats, is now actively addressing safety concerns to prevent future accidents.

 

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