Cutbona jetty conundrum: When safety was ignored for years

The Cutbona jetty finally spurred the government into action after years of alleged rule violations overlooked by its own Fisheries Department.

- VIBHA VERMA & THE GOAN

Sources revealed that several critical safety regulations were blatantly ignored including the mandatory installation of toilets on fishing vessels, crew registration with the Labour Department and strict adherence to sea navigation systems like the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Vessel Tracking Monitoring System (VTMS).

Government sources told The Goan, that these violations are rampant, particularly across the Konkan States of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The lapses date back to the implementation of the Merchant Shipping (MS) Act, 2014, which introduced unified vessel registration and a series of stringent safety norms expected to be enforced nationwide.