Six illegal marine institutes in city

The state government on Monday submitted before the Kerala High Court that as many as six marine institutes in Kochi are operating without approval from the Director- General of Shipping.

The High Court had asked the Director-General of Police to conduct an inquiry into institutions offering courses related to marine engineering, in violation of norms laid down by the DG Shipping and asked to file a report.

The state filed a report on the institutes operating in Kochi city.

According to the report, of the 11 institutes, six - College of Marine Technology near South overbridge, Aries Institute of Marine Technology at Kalamassery, Regional Hi Tech on Chittoor Road, Aimfill International at Kadavanthra, Intra Educational Council near Shenoy’s Junction and KITE Tower at Kadavanthra - are functioning without the approval of DG shipping.

However, the court asked the government to file detailed reports on institutes operating across the state.

The direction was given by a Division Bench comprising Justice C N Ramachandran Nair and Justice B P Ray while considering a petition filed by the International Education Council’s president Ziyad Ali challenging the closure of his institute.

The petitioner submitted that his institute never offered the eligibility for ‘Continuous discharge certificate-cum-seafarers identity document’ for employment on board a sea-going ship by obtaining the diploma.

There were innumerable jobs outside the purview of the Merchant Shipping Act 1958 available to diploma holders in marine mechanical field.

The rules are applied only to those who seekemployment as seamen on ships, petitioner’s counsel Muhammad Rafeeque pointed out.