New Delhi: The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill, 2021 was introduced in Rajya Sabha by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal. "This will ensure compliance with obligations under maritime treaties and international instruments, to which India is a party and for matters connected therewith...," said Sonowal.
Subash Chandra Singh, MP from Odisha, Biju Janata Dal, supported the Bill and said it is pertinent for the entire country's navigation system. Lighthouses have been silent sentinels in guiding boats, he added.
65 lighthouses have been proposed to be developed with the Bill through public-private partnerships. Odisha's 180-year-old light house has a key role in the state's tourism, he said.
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Banda Prakash, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP from Telangana also supported the Bill. He stated that the Bill by replacing colonial laws, the Bill seeks to bring in state of the art technology for navigation.
G K Vasan, Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) MP from Tamil Nadu said fisherfolks of the country could be helped through lighthouses. Fisherfolks need to be aided with the best possible system.
The Bill passed by Lok Sabha on March 22, 2021 seeks to replace a nine-decade-old law governing lighthouses. Apart from the change in usage of the term marine aids to navigation, the Bill intends to create a new framework to establish and manage vessel traffic services.
Lighthouses have been planned to be turned into tourist spots. The colonial-era Lighthouse Act, 1927 is to be repealed and the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) would be empowered with additional power and functions.
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