Karwar: The process of issuing special identity cards to around 10,000 fishermen/labourers from other States working in the local fishing boats, has begun. The identity cards which have QR Code provides all information about the labourers.

Giving information about the issue of identity cards, Deputy Commissioner K Harishkumar said that hundreds of labourers from Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar States work in various ports of Uttara Kannada district during the fishing season. Identity cards were being given to these labourers with an intention to ensure their safety and to prevent them from engaging in criminal activities. Presently, 10,000 labourers are being issued identity cards through the Fisheries Department.

Deputy Director of Fisheries Department P Nagaraju said that all those going on fishing need to compulsorily carry their identity cards with them. Till now, they would carry the identity cards issued by the boat owners or Aadhar cards and photocopies of other documents. These papers could fall into the water and could get wet and damaged. But the new identity cards do not get damaged even if it gets wet in the water.

The officer said that a bio-metric system is in place for the local fishermen and so, the information related to them can be got from the Coastal Police or Coastal Security Force. But problem would always arise when the identity of outside State fishermen would arrive. But now, they too will have an identity card.