Thiruvananthapuram: The Cabinet on Wednesday decided that in future all fishermen going to sea should compulsorily register with the registration system being put in place by the fisheries department. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said all boats will be provided with GPS facility. Steps would be taken to provide timely information about changes in weather condition through mobile and satellite phones. A committee comprising chief secretary and executive committee of the State Disaster Management Authority has been entrusted with the task of creating an effective system of networking between various departments and fishermen venturing into sea.
The chief minister said State Disaster Management Authority will be reconstituted soon. State Disaster Response Force will be formed and State level Emergency Operation Centre will start functioning in Thiruvananthapuram. Zonal emergency operations centre at Ernakulam and district level operations centres would also be set up. These centres will ensure assistance from fisheries, police, fire force, revenue department and central defence forces including Navy, Air Force, Army and Coast Guard during any emergency.
The required recruitment for Coastal Police Force will be done soon. Steps are being taken to modernise, upgrade and strengthen the force. Along with this, special police facility will be introduced at Vizhinjam, Neendakara, Kochi, Ponnani and Azheekal harbours. Required assistance will be provided to fishermen form Kerala who reached other states for safety.
Special medical teams will be sent to Lakshadweep and officials will be deployed to coordinate activities for bringing back people who are stranded in the island. Adequate compensation will be given for agri crop loss, house damage, treatment expenses and to those who are currently lodged in relief camps.The Cabinet decided to seek special package from Centre for implementing long-term measures by declaring Ockhi as national calamity.
The state government will bring to the notice of the Centre the need for putting in place a scientific system to provide real time information on climate change. A high-level committee headed by former DGP Ramon Sreevastava has been constituted to study the measures to be taken in natural disasters like cyclone and submit a report to the government. The other members of the panel are additional chief secretary home, revenue, principal secretary fisheries, Dr Abhilash. S, assistant professor, Department of Atmospheric Science CUSAT and member secretary state disaster management authority.
Other decisions
- State Disaster Management Authority will be reconstituted.
- The required recruitment for Coastal Police Force will be done soon.
- Special medical teams will be sent to Lakshadweep
- Adequate compensation will be given for agri crop loss, house damage, treatment expenses
