Trawl boat fire destroys three mercantile ships; huge loss estimated

[email protected] (CD Network,Photos by Ahmed Anwar)

March 13, 2011

Mangalore, March 13: In a bizarre incident, four vessels caught fire at Kasba Bengre under mysterious circumstances on Sunday afternoon creating panic among the fishermen and local residents.

The fire that started at around 3:15 pm, on board a trawl boat pulled ashore for repairs, spread to three mercantile ships parked alongside.

The mishap completely destroyed two mercantile ships named 'Musthafa' and 'Abbas' owned by Kunnhi Koya, from Hamaimi in Lakshadweep and TK Ahmed Haji from Kavaratti, Lakshadweep respectively, while another mercantile ship 'Hashmi Madath' owned by a Kolkata based businessman and trawl boat 'Karavali' owned by local entrepreneur Hameed Bengre have been partially destroyed.

Two of these mercantile ships (Abbas and Mustafa) operated towards Lakshadweep and the third (Hashmi Madath) towards Kolkata. The trawl boat was being used for local fishing operations off the coast of Mangalore.

The owners of the 'Abbas' and 'Mustafa' claimed that they have suffered an estimated loss of Rs 50 lakh each, while the owners of Hashmi Madath and trawl boat put the estimated loss at Rs 25 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively.

People at the ship yard, said they saw the fire blazing up to five meter high. However six fire extinguisher vehicles from Pandeshwar, Kadri and NMPT responded quickly, and the fire was brought under control within a half an hour, said a senior police officer.

Panambur police circle Inspector Valentine D'Souza along with a team visited the spot and began an investigation into the fire tragedy.

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Udupi’s Kamini Island set for eco-friendly development to boost tourism

News Network

November 15,2024

Udupi: The Tourism Department is planning a major eco-friendly development initiative for Kamini Island, located near the Blue Flag-certified Padubidri End Point beach, aiming to attract more visitors while maintaining environmental sustainability.

Assistant Director Kumar CU emphasized that, given the island’s proximity to the Blue Flag beach, all development efforts will center around eco-friendly practices. “We are looking to enhance the Kamini River and the island’s surroundings by adding a hanging bridge, nature trails, and eco-friendly food courts offering traditional cuisine. Visitors will also be able to reach the island by pedal boats or kayaking,” he said.

The development project is estimated to cost between Rs 3 crore and Rs 4 crore. Meanwhile, the Blue Flag beach, Padubidri, continues to see a steady flow of visitors. Vijay Shetty, manager of the beach, shared that tenders for food courts and water sports have been awarded to private parties. Recently, three new coracles have been introduced, which are proving to be a hit with visitors. Additionally, three more shelters are expected to be ready by November 20.

Shetty mentioned that the beach can now accommodate between 2,500 and 3,000 visitors daily, although footfall remains lower than other district beaches due to user fees and activity restrictions. “Initially, most visitors were from Mangaluru, but now nearly 40% come from other districts, showing a shift in the visitor demographics,” Shetty noted.

To further boost tourism and promote a healthy lifestyle, a Beach Carnival is set to take place on November 23-24, featuring the National Sea Swimming Championship and a sea marathon in collaboration with the Padubidri JCI, which is celebrating its golden jubilee. Cultural events will be held at the main beach, with some sports events taking place at the Blue Flag beach. Emphasis will be placed on making all activities environmentally friendly.

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