From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
 
Panaji, Dec 15: For Goan fishermen, wearing life jacket and life buoys will now be mandatory before venturing into the sea. Goa government announced this on the floor of the house on Tuesday, Dec 15.

The state had lost around 68 fishermen whose bodies are still untraceable even a month after devastating cyclone almost missed hit the Konkan coast before drifting to Gujarat.

Minister for Revenue Jose Philip D’Souza in a reply on the floor of the state legislative assembly today told BJP legislator Laxmikant Parsekar that the state government has proposed to monitor the movement of fishing vessels for better coordination and communication.

The four day long winter session of Goa legislative assembly began this morning at Porvorim.

He said that all the fishing vessel owners are adviced to install the necessary communication and distress alert equipment for which financial assistance available through centrally sponsored scheme shall be provided.

“All the fishing vessels are adviced to carry transistors on board to receive the weather bulletins,” D’Souza added.

The state government, which was criticized for the delay in transmitting the Phyan warning to the fishermen, has now decided to set up a control room in the Fisheries Department in coordination with Metrological Department.

The figures placed on the floor of the house reads that 16 houses in the coastal belt were damaged severely due to the cyclone and 25 fishermen either lost their trawlers or fishing equipments.