Now, a device to keep fishermen out of troubled waters

| RAM PARMAR

Published : May 29, 2016, 1:57 am IST

Updated : May 29, 2016, 1:57 am IST

A Mumbai-based digital firm in association with an NGO has invented a unique device, which would alert fishermen entering international waters at high seas.

A Mumbai-based digital firm in association with an NGO has invented a unique device, which would alert fishermen entering international waters at high seas. Around 1,500 sets have already been distributed free to fishermen on a trial basis. The Gujarat government has reportedly shown interest in the device.

In the past, there have been reports of fishermen from Gujarat and Maharashtra being arrested by the Pakistan Navy for trespassing the Pakistan waters, as there is no clear border or demarcation on the Arabian Sea. “Those fishing near Porbandar, Verawal and other regions near Gujarat, enter Pakistani waters and get into trouble with the security agencies,” said Chintaman Wanga, MP from Palghar.

The NGO — Work in India — approached Kinetic India, a Mumbai-based digital firm to formulate a way to save the fishermen from this ordeal. “Muhotka is the mask that adorns most of the fishermen’s boats, which is believed to keep the evil at bay. We thought of naming our app after these masks,” said Salim Mulla, a member of Work In India. The GPS-enabled app, Mukhota, is coded in such a way that once it nears the coastal border, it alerts the fishermen not to cross them. “We are also conducting awareness sessions at various fishermen colonies and informing them about the existence of Mukhota,” he added.

The NGO plans to receive financial aid from the Maharashtra government so that maximum number of devices can be produced and provided to fishermen at a subsidised cost. “As of now, each device costs Rs 5,000 but after receiving the state government grant, the cost will be highly reduced and affordable to the fishing community,” said Mr Mulla. “Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has shown interest in the project and a meeting has been set with the Gujarat Maritime Board sometime in June,” he added.

Somnath Sengupta, a senior official of the digital firm said, “We have tested this device for days in the sea already along with fishermen and the trials have been successful so far.”