RAMANATHAPURAM: Five boat owners were booked, and their boats impounded, by the marine police for allegedly failing to comply with the notice issued by the fisheries department and using unregistered vessels for fishing activities.
Speaking about the same, a fisheries department official from Rameswaram said that during an inspection in October, the officials had found that four unregistered boats in Pamban ventured into the sea. The department served notices to the owners and sealed off the wheelhouse of the boats. Registration of new boats was banned in Palk Bay from October 12 to November 9, and so no new boats were registered in Rameswaram.
However, when the Pamban rail bridge span system was opened, all four unregistered boats allegedly crossed over and anchored near the Rameswaram jetty last week. During an inspection, the fisheries department found that the boat owners violated the notice and broke open the wheelhouses of the vessels.
In response to the notice issued by the fisheries department, the boat owners said that they had just crossed the Pamban bridge, which may not open for the next three months due to the construction works, and into Rameswaram, where the fishing harbour is located. However, owners of the unregistered vessels, namely D Giltas, J Jermans, A Sahaya Nathan, and N Mathan, all from Thangachimadam, were booked.
The inspection also revealed that the registration number of a boat, which was confiscated by the Sri Lankan government back in 2021, was being used by owner A Kirubai for a separate vessel. As a result, he was issued a notice for allegedly operating a boat with fake registration numbers. Based on a complaint on Sunday, the marine police booked all five boat owners under two sections, including sections 188 and 353, of the IPC for deterring a public servant from discharging their duty. Further investigation is underway.