Harbours in Kollam saw some extra order on Wednesday when 45 senior division and senior wing cadets from the battalions of NCC group Kollam joined police personnel in enforcing lockdown restrictions.
Deployed to ensure that fishers are following all COVID-19 protocols, including the use of masks, the cadets were on duty till activities came to an end at the harbours around 5 p.m. They were deployed following a request from the district administration through the office of Additional District Magistrate.
Safety gear given
“The cadets handled their duties very efficiently, constantly reminding the fishers the need to follow instructions,” said A. Pradeep Kumar, ACP, Kollam, who coordinated with the Commanding Officer, 7 Kerala battalion, who is the nodal officer for Kollam for deploying the NCC cadets. Before entering the harbour the cadets were provided with safety gear by the police personnel and briefed by the ACP and NCC officers.
Split into squads, the cadets were in charge of maintaining the new system enforced by the government at the harbours during the lockdown. They monitored the entry and exit points to manage the crowd and make sure that nobody entered the premises without wearing masks.
As part of the lockdown restrictions all the boats venturing into the sea are instructed to register with the Fisheries Department and all the vehicles entering the harbour also require registration. Special queues for women vendors and strict maintenance of social distancing norms are also among the new regulations introduced.
The cadets also monitored the queue formation and requested the fishers to put on their masks and wash their hands. NCC officers said the deployment of cadets made a huge difference in the activities at fishing harbours as they supplemented the police personnel on duty and it brought an order in the management. The cadets will be present at the harbours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. till the lockdown ends, they said.