Chennai: The state government will distribute a device, Distress Alert Transmitters (DAT), to fishermen pursuing deep-sea fishing in the Bay of Bengal, to enable authorities to identify and rescue them during emergency at sea.
The device would transmit a short message disclosing its position and type of emergency to a central location, Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) / Indian Coast Guard, through satellite to enable the centre to initiate rescue operation.
The DAT technology was originally developed by Space Applications Centre (SAC) of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for fisherman going to deep sea for fishing.
The state government has proposed to install 30,000 DATs in fishing boats and impart training to them to use the device. In the first phase, the government has planned to issue 1600 DAT soon.
The Tamil Nadu State Apex Fisheries Co-operative Federation Limited (TAFCOFED) has been instructed to procure and distribute DAT to beneficiaries. TAFCOFED, which was functioning since 1992, has a membership of 477 Marine Fishermen Co-operative Societies, 141 Inland Fishermen Co-operative Societies, 158 Fisherwomen Co-operative Societies and 9 District Fishermen Cooperative Federations.
The Union ministry of agriculture, department of animal husbandry dairying and fisheries, on July 29 last year gave nod to a proposal of the Tamil Nadu Government for procurement and supply of 30,000 DATs at a cost of Rs 36 crore to fishermen/fishing vessels registered under Real Craft Registration system under the Centrally sponsored scheme on Safety of Fishermen at sea on Development of Marine Fisheries.
The Central government had released Rs 2 crore as first instalment for procurement of 1600 numbers of DATs. On instructions from Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, the state government had sanctioned Rs 38.40 lakh as its share for the move. Prior to the distribution, Coast Guard Station, Chennai, will verify the devices. The department of fisheries will identify list of beneficiaries.
