The recent trafficking of Sri Lankan refugees to Australia in a boat belonging to two fishermen from Puducherry has not only exposed the gaping holes in coastal security, but also the threat posed by a good number of unregistered big fishing boats in the Union Territory, some of which could have possibly been involved in the June 13 incident.

Though the boat belonging to the arrested - Raja alias Sanjeevi of Kuruchikuppam and A Manjini of Vambakeerapalayam - is registered with the Department of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare in the name of Raja alias Sanjeevi, investigating agencies feel that accommodating 157 people in a boat less than 20 metres in length may not be possible. “A boat that is 20 metres long can at best take a maximum of 60 persons if the space is modified and the people accommodated in sitting position,” said sources in the Fisheries Department.

Therefore, the involvement of a fleet of boats, including unregistered larger boats, is suspected in the June 13 trafficking from Anichakuppam. Normally, along with the crew and coxswain, around seven to 10  persons go for fishing. This area (Anichakuppam) is not used for trafficking in order to avoid chances of detection, said a person who was earlier involved in an unsuccessful attempt from Puducherry in 2010.

So far, there has been no information about any other missing boat from  UT or Tamil Nadu that could have been involved in the recent trafficking. This has shifted the focus on the boats that are less than 20 metres in length.

In Puducherry, there are at least 16 to 18 such fishing boats that are not registered with the Department of Fisheries or any other agency. Intelligence agencies put the numbers higher than 20.

The owners of these boats are fishermen from the villages of Nallavadu, Kanagachetticulam, Periya Kalapet, Chinna Kalapet and Pillaichavady. These boats, known as ‘Khannas’, are said to be purchased from Pallam in Kerala as well as Colachel in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. Most of the boats have joint owners, said sources in the Fisheries Department. These boats are not docked in the fishing harbour and are kept by the owners at their own place of convenience.

Generally, the boats are used for fishing with pursine nets. The catch is then offloaded mid sea to smaller motorised fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) boats which bring the catch to the harbour. The reason behind such boats going unregistered is the fact that the State Fisheries Department cannot register the boats as per the provisions of the Mercantile Shipping Act, clarified an official from the Fisheries Department. The boats have to be registered with the Mercantile Marine Department in Chennai.

When an earlier attempt to traffic Sri Lankan refugees to Australia in an unregistered boat came to light in 2010, the Fisheries Department insisted on their registration with the Mercantile Marine Department at Chennai. However, it was turned down stating that the Fisheries Department themselves could do it. The Fisheries Department then wrote to the Director General of Mercantile Marine Department in Mumbai and got the direction for registration with the Chennai office, recently, the official added.

In the past, such boats have been used for trafficking after being  purchased at a high price from fishermen, confided a source.

“Once the task is completed, the boats are dismantled and abandoned. Since the boats are not on the records the task becomes easy.” the source added.

(The New Indian Express)