TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: It’s exactly 10 days since the new fishing season started from August 1, but one of the patrol boats of the Betul Coastal Police is anchored at the jetty for want of battery.
Even as the Goa Police is racing against time to open a new police station at Talpona to man the extreme southern coast, one of the three patrol boats at the disposal of the Betul coastal police is anchored at the Betul Jetty. The Betul Coastal Police Station has three patrol boats at its disposal, out of which, one would be handed over to the Talpona Coastal Police Station scheduled for opening on August 13.
When contacted, a coastal security police officer said that they have asked the department to procure the battery, while exuding confidence that the battery should reach the police station in a day or two.
The police officer pointed out that the delay in procuring the battery has not affected the movement of boats, saying the Captain of Ports gives them the permission to venture out in the sea only in October.
Earlier this year, a patrol boat of the Betul Coastal Police Station was lying anchored at Betul Jetty for want of a battery. In fact, the department had to rush with the battery for the patrol boat after CM Manohar Parrikar took serious cognisance of the situation during his visit to the Cutbona Jetty.
A local fisherman said that the government should be prompt in looking after the maintenance of the patrol boats.
