------------------------------------------------------------------------
* G * O * A * N * E * T **** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANKA SERVICES
For all your Goa-based media needs - Newspapers and Electronic Media
Newspaper Adverts, Press Releases, Press Conferences
www.ankaservices.com
[email protected]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rs 12 lakh diesel missing from Russian ship
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MORMUGAO, JAN 21While the Navy, Coast Guard and Coastal Police claim to have
stepped up surveillance along the State’s coast, diesel worth about Rs 12 lakh
is believed to have mysteriously disappeared from a ship, contracted to the
National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).According to sources, a Russian vessel
R V (Research Vessel) Akabemik Boris Petrov contracted by the NIO came to the
port on December 20, 2008 and January 5 for refueling diesel.The source further
informed that on January 11, when the ship was anchored at the East of the
breakwaters next to the Mooring Dolphins at midnight, about 175 barrels with
pure diesel were allegedly off-loaded from the ship by four persons with the
help of the Russian crew.“All the persons traveled in two black motorised
canoes under some fictitious names, that were not registered either with the
Fisheries Department or any other department”, the source said.“The barrels
were brought to the shore in the motorised canoes and were off-loaded opposite
the Vasco Ice Plant, where they were later transported in a pickup to an
unknown destination”, the source added.Each barrel contains about 200 litres of
diesel, priced at about Rs 34 per litre. While one person picked up 100
barrels, another man took possession of the remaining 75 barrels.It is
surprising to note that the Mooring Dolphins are at a distance of about 200 mts
from the port and despite strict patrolling, security agencies failed to nab
the culprits.“There are about 15 such illegal operators who smuggle scrap, oil
and diesel and each one of them greases the palms of the security agencies,
thereby enabling them to carry out the illegal activities”, alleged the
source.“Ever since security has been beefed up, smuggling operations have been
shifted to Vaddem beach”, informed the source.It may be recalled that on
December 2, 2008 a joint meeting was conducted with the Vasco, Mormugao Coastal
Police and trawlers owners at the Vasco fishing jetty. Fishermen and trawler
owners had highlighted the issue of smuggling activities and the police had
assured to stop the illegal activity.When contacted, Vasco Police Inspector
Sagar Ekoskar claimed he was unaware of the incident and confirmed that no such
police complaint had been filed in the matter.While the NIO Director Dr S R
Shetye could not be contacted for comments, Dr Murari Tapasvi of NIO said that
though the NIO had chartered the vessel, its handling and maintenance was being
done by National Center for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR). While NCAOR
Director Dr Rashik Ravindran is out of station, another official Dr M Sudhakar
admitted that the ship has been chartered by NCAOR, but ruled out the
possibility of pilferage of huge quantities of diesel.“The ship was
decommissioned on December 20, 2008 for repairs and was re-commissioned on
January 4,” Dr Sudhakar said.“The ship sailed to the Indian Ocean on the night
of January 9. We have the ship since 2005, except for a break of 7-8 months for
repairs, but we have never come across such a complaint”, Dr Sudhakar added.
_________________________________________________________________
News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Get it now!
http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx
