Would mishaps wake authorities up from slumber?

ALAPPUZHA: The two deadly mishaps off the Kerala coast involving fishermen would  shake up the authorities from their deep slumber, hope members of the fishing community from the district.  According to them, incomplete and neglected projects continue to eat up crores of rupees, and they attribute the recent mishaps on high seas to official apathy.For instance, the incomplete Costal Police Station in Thottappilly is in a dilapidated condition while the interceptor boats are gathering rust. The State Government had purchased three interceptor boats spending more than `6 crore. Equipped with most modern facilities like radars to carry out rescue operations in the deep sea, the boats are now left deserted. The authorities say they are not in use owing to the lack of expert drivers. Anchored at the Thottappilly fishing harbour earlier, the boats are now been moved to Thrikunnappuzha. “The boats have become floating rust buckets due to the absence of proper maintenance. Their batteries have drained out. They were shifted to the Thrikunnappuzha police station limits a month ago,” Gopi, a fisherman at Thottappilly harbour, said.“The boats were purchased to strengthen costal security after the terror attacks across Mumbai in 2008,” he said.Costal Police Station in Thottappilly too is in a state of neglect. “The Home Ministry had decided to set up a costal police station at the Thottappilly Harbour for security reasons and to extend help to fishermen. The station building and a watch tower were completed. But they are yet to be inaugurated,” Sebastian Valentine, United Trades Union Congress state committee member, said. “A Costal Vigilance Committee was constituted in 11 costal police stations to monitor activities in the costal areas. The committee members included fishermen as well. The police even sanctioned telephone allowance of `200 every two months to the committee members,” Ramachandran, a fisherman, said. But the one at Thottappilly never took off.However, District Police Superintendent K G James said necessary measures will be taken soon. “The department has taken steps to appoint staff at the station and it will be opened soon. The department will appoint experts to operate and maintain the interceptor boats. Special training will be given to the police personnel to operate the boats, as well,” James said.