Visakhapatnam: As a part of Coast Guard Day celebrations, a team from ICGS Rani Avartibai organised a special community interaction programme with fishermen of Pudimadaka coastal area in Vizag district. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) officials educated the fisherfolk on the importance of safe fishing, safety in blue waters, efficacy of safety equipment, maintaining cleanliness while at sea and to integrate the fishing community into coastal security mechanism.

Over 300 fishermen and their families from nearby fishing villages participated in the drive. Life-saving equipment were showcased and their use during distress at sea was explained and demonstrated by ICGS officials. Information regarding installation of Automatic Identification System (AIS), VHF communication set, Search and Rescue Transponder (SART), life buoy, life jacket, Man Overboard Marker (MOB) and group fishing was also extended.




In addition, the fishing community was educated on government projects for a clean environment like Swachh Bharat, garbage disposal and waste management for making a pollution-free sea. Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world, will complete 41 years of its service on February 1, 2018. The maritime force, that started functioning with seven ships and seaward defence boats re-inducted from Navy, has 168 ships and 60 aircraft in its inventory. Headquarters No. 6 Coast Guard District (DHQ-6) oversees the execution of Coast Guard charters within Andhra Pradesh. In addition to its base at Vizag, the ICG has three stations at Krishnapatnam, Kakinada and Nizampatnam.

An educational visit for school and underprivileged children was organised onboard the ICGS Samudra Paheredar here as a part of 42nd Coast Guard Raising Day celebrations. Seventy underprivileged students and five students from Vignan Public School, Vizag, along with seven guardians and a teacher visited the Samudra Paheredar, where they were briefed about organisational structure and operational role of the Indian Coast Guard.

The Samudra Paheredar is one of the three specialised pollution control ships with the Coast Guard. The 4,500-tonne ship is the only such vessel based on the eastern seaboard. The other two are based at Mumbai and Porbandar respectively. Deputy Inspector-General P.K. Mishra, Commanding Officer of the Ship and his team of officers and men welcomed the children and teachers onboard and opened the ship for them.