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Time of India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Sinking of cargo ship off Kochi coast: Fishermen warn of legal action over ‘inadequate' compensation
Kochi: The Kerala state fishermen coordination committee has said that legal action will be taken against the govt if compensation as per law is not ensured for fishermen and related workers in the four districts affected by the sinking of the container ship MSC ELSA 3 off the coast of Kochi on May 24. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The aid announced by the govt for fishermen affected is inadequate, said TN Prathapan, ex-MP and chairman of the committee. The livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of fishermen in the districts of Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kollam were disrupted. Along with the monsoon damage, the shipwreck dealt a severe blow to the fishing families. News of calcium carbide, oil, plastic particles, and cotton-like materials spreading in the sea significantly reduced fish consumption, which also severely impacted related workers. Prathapan said that they wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairman of National Green Tribunal, the central environment secretary, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and the director general of shipping, demanding that rightful compensation be secured for the fishermen as per international shipping insurance laws. Meanwhile, the CITU wing of Matsya Thozhilali Federation has sought that the central govt announce a special package for fishermen in the wake of the damages caused to the fisheries sector because of the sinking of the ship.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Call for reopening ‘Take a Break' centre near Ekm boat jetty
Kochi: Demand for reopening District Tourism Promotion Council 's (DTPC) 'Take a Break' refreshment centre near Ernakulam Boat Jetty is getting louder. The facility, which has not been functional for many months, served hundreds of commuters daily. Its prolonged closure caused significant inconvenience to regular travellers. 'Take a Break' outlets across the state are roadside refreshment centres launched by tourism department. Besides the refreshment area, unisex resting areas, toilets and ATM counters are its features. Tourism department planned the outlets as rest areas at every two-hour driving distance on all highways and major tourism there were complaints that the counter at Boat Jetty wasn't meeting the purpose of a comfort centre as it was modified into a roadside restaurant.T N Prathapan of Janakeeya Anweshana Samithi wrote to the tourism director complaining against the outlet's closure. "DTPC invested Rs 48 lakh to construct the 'Take a Break,' which includes a toilet, ATM, and cafeteria. Since its opening, the building was not used effectively for its intended purpose, except for a large restaurant operating there. Tourism department's objective for building this facility remains unfulfilled, as it hasn't served travellers for resting or using the toilet. The sewage tank designed for this building fills up every two weeks, and the responsibility for emptying it regularly was a herculean task. An investigation should be conducted against those who planned, estimated and constructed this building, and an inquiry should be conducted into how long it has been operational," wrote Prathapan in the DTPC secretary Lijo Joseph said that the process to lease out the outlet to a new entrepreneur is ongoing, and it would be reopened soon. "There are some issues with the outlet's sewage tank, and it will be resolved soon," he said.
