In an effort to spread awareness about security and greater vigilance among the local fishing communities residing along the north Maharashtra coast, Essar Shipping lent its support to a motorcycle rally on January 6-10, 2012. Organized by the Coast Guard in coordination with the Indian Navy, Marine Police, Department of Fisheries and local police, the event was jointly sponsored by Essar and ONGC.
The motorcycle rally was flagged off in Mumbai by Commander Coast Guard Region (West) IG SPS Basra YSM, and Capt Anoop Sharma, CEO – Essar Shipping, on January 6, 1202.
The objective of the rally was to interact with local fishermen at their respective villages and develop them as the 'eyes and ears' of the coastal security forces. During the five-day program, boarding and lodging was arranged by the local administration at the respective venues, while the state fisheries department actively coordinated the community interaction program in the villages. Publicity material for spreading the messages of coastal security, and survival techniques at sea were distributed by the rally team during the community interaction.
The 30-member team of motorcyclists returned to Mumbai on January 10, after covering a distance of 550 km and reaching out to over 1,600 fisher folk across about a dozen fishing villages and towns along the north Maharashtra coast.
