THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An acute staff shortage in Marine Enforcement has put severe strain on the personnel following a recent order deploying them for security duties at the Vizhinjam seaport.
Officials said the unit, which currently has just seven officers including a sub-inspector, is already stretched thin while handling responsibilities across two harbour zones –Vizhinjam and Muthalapozhi.
Marine Enforcement personnel are deputed to assist the Fisheries Department and are tasked with sea rescue operations, coastal patrolling and enforcement activities. However, the diversion of personnel to port security has weakened their ability to carry out these core duties.
Fisheries Assistant Director Rajesh told TNIE that the order to deploy personnel to the port came on Friday. He pointed out that the limited staff strength has left the unit under strain, especially in emergencies.
The situation escalated on Saturday when a civil police officer with the Marine Enforcement, Ananthu, collapsed while on duty, reportedly due to exhaustion and dehydration.
Ananthu said he had reported for duty early in the morning and was required to continue working until the next day. Vessel duties are scheduled in 4-shift rotation with 6 hour shifts – 8am to 2pm, 2pm to 8pm, 8pm to 2am and 2am to 8am. Ananthu fainted during the second shift, reportedly due to poor cooling facilities and extreme heat.
Though an officer is officially deployed only for one six-hour shift in the four-shift rotation, in practice, they are forced to work through the entire rotation, making the workload exhausting.
“I reported for duty at 7am and had not taken breakfast properly. By the time I shifted to the next vessel, I was dehydrated and fainted. The cooling in the second vessel was inadequate and the heat was intense,” said Ananthu.
Under the current arrangement, three staffers from coastal police units at Vizhinjam and Poovar are deployed in rotation for port duty, while only one Marine Enforcement officer is assigned in a rotation.
This has led to continuous 24-hour shifts – from 8am to 8am the next day – without relief, sources said. The same pattern of duty deployment continued on Sunday.
While coastal police personnel are rotated between vessels, Marine Enforcement staff are unable to follow a similar system. The deployment of police personnel to the port is believed to have followed high-level discussions involving senior officials after complaints that fishermen laying nets within the Adani port zone were disrupting vessel movement. In light of this, a directive was issued by the DySP to the assistant director of Fisheries, who then instructed Marine Enforcement personnel to comply.
Marine DySP Ajithkumar V G said the deployment should not be seen merely as “port duty”, as it also involves protecting fishermen and creating awareness under the Kerala Marine Fishing Regulation Act, which falls under the mandate of Marine Enforcement. He added that it has been decided to deploy officers during evening hours.
“For around one-and-a-half months, no officer from the Marine Enforcement team could be sent for port duty due to staff shortage or engagement in rescue operations. The deployment has now resumed as required,” said the DySP.
“No officer will be required to work 24 hours straight. Duties will be assigned in shifts. However, since only one officer from our team is being deputed on rotation, that officer may have to report for duty whenever their turn comes up. It has been decided that the duty can be handled during evening hours. As for Ananthu, his reporting in the morning was due to a communication error,” he added.
Meanwhile, sources told TNIE that the extent of the shortfall is critical, pointing out that a seven-member team has been entrusted with the responsibility of duties across two harbours while Muthalapozhi alone requires at least 15 personnel. Attempts to contact officials from Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) for a response were unsuccessful.