Sailors at the Hands of Satans

It is quite disheartening to note that 400 Indian Sailors have died in marine accidents between 2005 and 2009 according to the Director General of Shipping. It is also learnt that about 50% of the Indian labour force employed in the international maritime sector have not been recruited through agencies registered under D.G., Shipping. It is a pity that although 202 licensed recruitment and placement agencies are operating in India, half of the labour force working is not engaged through these agencies. As a matter of fact the foreign firms that have engaged the Indian sailors on different oceans care very little when accidents take place. The Government of India too is quite lax in tracing those sailors and helping their families on their disappearance or deaths.

It is for the Government of India and the D.G., Shipping to ensure that no sailor is employed other than through these registered agencies and each Sailor's movement and their engagement by the foreign firms/domestic firms are noted down and pursued from time to time. The fact that Indian youths are unemployed in large numbers doen't mean that we can afford to lose our Sailors and cause untoward sufferings to their families.