GPS for Tamil Nadu boats

INDIA: Tamil Nadu has decided to equip boats plying between India and Sri Lanka with Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to keep track of them.

In the first phase, the GPS system will be installed in 1,697 mechanised boats and 4,620 non-mechanised ones. The project, which will be implemented by the Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot), is estimated to cost Rs.77 million, officials in the fisheries department said.

The high frequency devices can be tracked up to 10 nautical miles from the control room and the hub. Beyond that, the GPS-equipped boat's radio can communicate with another GPS boat within 10 nautical miles. Therefore, any distress communication can be relayed from boat to boat.

While the main control room will be in Chennai, three communication towers will be set up along the coast in Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin.

The GPS plan will be officially announced at a DMK meeting called by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi