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First batch of satellite phones to help fishermen received by Tamil Nadu
Posted on: 12/Dec/2018 10:25:58 AM
In the state of Tamil Nadu many people depend on fishing to make their both ends meet. These fishermen often face risks or issues when they venture into the sea because of the fact that they would not have communication from outside regarding cyclonic storms etc. This has been taking place in the past few monsoon seasons and many fishermen have lost their precious lives. The fishermen and their families could feel safe now. It is now said that the state fisheries department had received the first consignment of long range communication gadgets. These communication gadgets would play an important role in saving the lives of many fishermen during the cyclones etc.
Out of an order of 181 units of Isat phone 2 (satellite phone), the department has now received 21 units from BSNL and it cost an amount of Rs 21 lakh. This was confirmed by Mr. K. Gopal who is fisheries secretary for TN. It is known that M/s Antrix Corporation is a commercial arm belonging to ISRO or Indian Space Research Organisation. One important piece of information is apart from Isat phone2, purchase orders for the supply of NavIC (Indian regional Navigation Satellite) receivers has also been placed with M/s Antrix Corporation. Mr. Gopal spoke about how the department of fisheries was expecting the supply shortly. He later explained about how the rate contract for the supply of 160 units of NavTex has been finalised and how it would be imported and supplied in a month.
Commissioner for Revenue Administration, Mr. K. Sathyagopal, later spoke about how on pilot scale the government was planning to provide 3 NavIC receivers, 2 GPS based NavTex and 2 satellite phones for each cluster of deep sea fishing vessels. The information that was gathered was the fisheries department has identified as many as 80 such clusters each having about 20 vessels.
Mr. Sathyagopal confirmed that the potential life saving devices would be distributed to the fishermen in this year before northeast monsoon peaks. It is worthy to mention that the state government has given administrative sanction of Rs 3.10 crore from SDRF or State Disaster Response Fund for procurement and supply of communication devices to the director of fisheries.
It is now brought out by the official that chief secretary’s control room, CRA, director fisheries, 4 harbour management committees of Nagapattinam, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, Chennai and district collectorates of 13 coastal districts would also be provided with satellite phones.
