Fishermen key to maintaining country's sea security'

[email protected] (CD Network)
June 26, 2012

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Mangalore, June 26: The Fishermen are the best 'eyes and ears' of the country when it comes to keeping a check on terrorism and sea crime, said R K Sharma, Commandant, Coast Guards.

He was speaking at an interactive meet between the Coast Guards and fishermen community at Ullal on Tuesday.

Stating that even if the total man-force of navy, Coast Guards and Coastal Police is put together it cannot match the human resource that the fishing community posseses across the country, Mr. Sharma said that fishermen have a huge role to play in informing security bodies such as the Coast Guards, of any suspicious activity along the coast.

Stating that bio-metric cards and colour coding for boats will be made mandatory in the days to come, he urged the fisherfolk to get themselves updated and implement the new rules accordingly. Each state will be given a colour code which has to be implemented in boats of the respective states so that it is easy to identify the area that the boat belongs to. This will be helpful in curbing illegal activities and sea terror, Mr. Sharma said.

Observing that incidents of merchant vessels hitting smaller boats have been on the rise of late, Mr. Sharma said that there is a need for fishermen to be more alert. “Such vessels have started deviating a bit from their original routes to avoid pirates and in the process accidents between their boats and smaller boats are increasing. Those vessels are huge in size and it is difficult for them to pick small boats in the waves. To ensure their safety, fishermen must be alert and make sure that atleast one of their crew stays awake throughout the night”, he said.

Karnataka Coast Guards will soon have its own aircrafts and hovercrafts as part of its expansion programme, he added.

Distress Alert Transmitter

Coast Guards offcials demonstrated the working of an ISRO made satellite based 'Distress Alert Transmitter' (DAT) before the fishermen. The device would be helpful for fishermen in passing emergency messages to Coast Guards. There are four switches in the device the fisrt one meant for passing emergency message on ship fire or any such mishap, the second one for medical assistance, the third for boat sinking and the fourth one to intimate of a sea accident or cases of drowning of crew etc.

The device was initially being distributed for free but will soon be supplied by the state government at subsidized rates. It covers the areas of Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. A fisherman using this device had alerted the Coast Guards of a terrorist activity on sea and it helped in the cause of national security, Mr. Sharma said.

Working of a life jacket was also demonstrated on the occasion.

Harassment of fishermen

The meet being an interactive meet, a member of the fishermen community raised the issue of Coast Guard officials harassing fishermen in spite of them producing identity cards and other documents. In response, Commandant K L Arun said that in future if fishermen encounter such harassing, they can inform the Coast Guards office and file a complaint by noting down the number of the ship which is clearly visible on every Coast Guard ship.


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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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