The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Cuddalore News : Where cranes fail, winches come in handy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore

Where cranes fail, winches come in handy

By Our Special Correspondent

CUDDALORE, FEB. 23. Wherever the heavy-duty cranes deployed from the Chennai Port Trust have failed, the local winch operators have come in handy to bring the stranded trawlers back to the Uppanar or the sea.

The heavy-duty cranes are more of a liability than an asset. At least on two occasions, the cranes have dropped the mechanised boats abruptly on the ground at the Old Town area, causing further damage.

This caused resentment among fishermen and led to the suspension of the "retrieving works" for days together. Now, local winch operators have come forward to pull the mechanised boats, provided they are given financial assistance to procure the necessary implements, including metallic ropes.

A study has shown that about 150 mechanised boats have run aground, and in case of some , it would be near impossible to re-launch them.

The cranes are ill equipped for the task, because they do not have the requisite capacity or arm to reach the stricken boats amid human habitations, trees and thick undergrowths.

Therefore, the district administration has decided to utilise the services of the local winch operators by conceding their demand. The District Collector, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, has sanctioned Rs. 2,000 to each of the eight winch operators to buy metallic ropes.

The operators are employed on a contract basis to put the boats back into the sea.

They would be paid on a pro rata basis of Rs. 6,500 to Rs. 7,500, depending upon the size of the vessels. Since the winch operators rely both on human and mechanical power, they could easily access the boats, regardless of the implements.

It has been pointed out that this endeavour also provides jobs to the workers on a temporary basis.

Mr. Bedi supervised one such rescue operation at Panankattu Colony near the Cuddalore Port on Monday.

On the occasion, Mr. Bedi said with the help of the non-governmental organisations, tools had been procured for 695 carpenters and 250 masons and baskets for 565 fish vendors in the tsunami-affected areas.

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Where cranes fail, winches come in handy