Abhayachandra Jain, Minister of State for Fisheries and Sports, said on Tuesday that the government would soon issue instructions to allow free entry to fishing boats in all fisheries habours and ports during storm in the high seas in the State.
He was speaking after inaugurating the fish landing and berthing quay constructed at a cost of Rs. 4.96 crore here. Mr. Jain said that he would talk to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and get orders issued soon.
“The lives of fishermen were too precious to be lost during sea storms. No fisheries harbours or ports should deny entry to such fishing boats including the New Mangalore Port Trust,” he said.
He said that the demand for construction of an all-weather finger jetty here at a cost of Rs. 4 crore, to accommodate more boats, would be considered.
Rs.1 crore would be sanctioned for the construction of an auction hall and for other basic facilities at the quay here.
An amount of Rs. 5.6 crore had been sanctioned for the dredging work at fisheries harbours in Udupi district. An outer harbour would be constructed at Marvanthe at a cost of Rs. 4.5 crore, while Rs. 6.5 crore had been allocated for the construction of a fisheries harbour at Koderi.
Due to change in policy, the Centre was bearing only 40 per cent down from 75 per cent, while the State had to plough in the 60 per cent, up from earlier 25 per cent, in development of fisheries. Despite the huge financial burden, the State government was committed to development of fisheries, Mr. Jain said. B.B. Kanchan, president of Mechanised Boat Owners Association, told presspersons that the quay could accommodate 150 to 200 boats. But there were nearly 400 to 500 boats.
Hence an all-weather finger jetty was needed here. Fishermen from Kota to Mabukala village could now use the quay.
Regular dredging at the entrance to the quay was essential, he said.
Anand C. Kundar, fishmeal plant owner, said that the quay would benefit nearly 2,000 fishermen families and eight ice plants in the region. Besides, it would reduce the heavy congestion of boats at the Malpe fisheries harbour, he said.
Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, Pramod Madhwaraj, MLA, K. Jayaprakash Hegde, former MP, G. Shankar, businessman, were present.
