PANJIM: State government has decided to attach the merchant navy ship abandoned nine nautical miles off Goa coast as the vessel may result into a disaster like that of M V River Princess.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters that the ship “Pratibha Bhima” will be towed to Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) as it has already been ordered to be attached by Admiralty court, which is a maritime court having off shore jurisdiction.
The ship, he said, is owned by a company in which a union minister has a stake. Parrikar, however, refused to divulge the name of the politician.
Chief Minister, who chaired the disaster management committee meeting Monday, has asked North Goa district collector Mihir Vardhan to take possession of the ship under section 35 of Disaster Management Act.
Parrikar said that the ship has been abandoned mid-sea for a long time with eleven members on board striving even to have a proper meal.
Parrikar said that the court had asked Director General shipping to attach the vessel but there is no response from them for months together. He said that the Union Shipping Ministry has also not acted on the Court order.
“The ship has not run aground. We fear that during monsoons it may break-up, posing danger to the coast. It might turn out to be another River Princess,” he said.
