KOCHI: The ordeal of the captain and crew members of dredging vessel Meka I, stranded in Kochi after being detained by port officials here, has finally come to an end. With the intervention of the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KELSA), the issue was settled with the dredger’s owner agreeing to pay salary arrears.
KELSA officials said the owner had agreed to pay salary arrears totaling Rs 35,27,995 with an interest of 12 per cent. Of this amount, Rs 13 lakh will be released immediately. The remaining will be paid within one month, said sources.
The issue came to the notice of the authorities when KELSA member secretary P Mohandas received an e-mail complaint from the dredger’s captain, Ajithkumar Pillai.
The complaint stated that the ship was detained by port authorities and had anchored about five nautical miles away from the port. He said the crew members had been deprived of food and water for some days. The salary of the crew and the captain, amounting to Rs 42 lakh, was also due, the message said.
Based on the complaint, Mohandas issued a notice to the dredger’s owner Meka Papa Rao of the Meka Dredging Company, through advocate Thushara James. The crew of the ship then authorised advocate Sandhya Raju to hold talks.
A Lok Adalat bench was constituted based on the directions by KELSA executive chairman Justice Kurian Joseph. Mohandas was the presiding officer and retired District Judge K Ramachandran and advocate M Chandralekha were members.
KELSA officials said the owner had also agreed to provide sufficient food, water and basic facilities to the crew. “The owner has agreed to bring the vessel ashore. The Mercantile Marine Department was directed by the Adalat to render all necessary assistance to provide basic facilities to the crew,” said the officials.