New Delhi. The Central Government today launched the GAGAN-based Marine Operations and Information Equipment (Gemini) for emergency information and communication for disaster related warnings and for fishermen in the maritime states and the Fish Potential Zone (PFZ). Addressing the inauguration ceremony in New Delhi, Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Science and Technology and Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that satellite-based communication systems provide information to deal with cyclones, high waves and tsunamis in emergencies. Can help in While the PFZ will provide information about fish to fishermen in the sea, the OSF will inform the states of the actual status of the sea. He said that the Marine State Prediction (OSF) includes forecasts on air, sea current, water temperature etc. every six hours on a daily basis for the next five days. This will help fishermen to increase their income as well as plan their safety and fishing related activities.
However, despite the issuance of forecasts by many mediums, no communication medium can provide such information after fishermen go 10 to 12 kilometers from the coast. It is no longer effective when fishermen go beyond 50 nautical miles for fishing in the sea and sometimes up to 300 nautical miles.
The lack of this was felt during the Ochi cyclonic storm in 2017 when fishermen had gone to sea before the cyclone took effect and they were not informed about the storm. This resulted in many deaths and serious injuries to the rescued as well as major damage to fishing boats and equipment.
To tackle this problem, the Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services, in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), started providing PFZ, OSF and disaster warning to fishermen using the GAGAN satellite system. Data received from Gemini equipment Gagan satellite can be received in mobile by Bluetooth communication. This information is displayed in nine regional languages through a mobile application developed by the Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services.
On this occasion, Dr. Harshvardhan also inaugurated the PFZ Prophecy. Dr. Harshvardhan said that PFZ prediction has proved very helpful for fishermen. Today more than six lakh fishermen are getting information on their mobiles, this has helped them to save time wasted in finding fish.