Work is under way to construct eight fish landing centres in Ramanathapuram and Kanyakumari districts. The centres will help in sale of better quality fish as auction halls and space for mending nets are part of the facilities being created.
Six centres will come up in Ramanathapuram district and two in Kanyakumari at a total cost of Rs 56.85 crore, said sources in the Fisheries Department. The biggest among them is to come up at Pamban at a cost of Rs. 11.90 crore where around 800 craft can be anchored.
J. Antony Santhiya, a fisherman of Ramanathapuram, who welcomed the facility for Pamban, said after Tuticorin, Pamban had the most number of deep sea fishing vessels.
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“On Friday alone, 1,000 tonnes of fish landed in Pamban. We have over 110 deep sea vessels. A bigger facility will help more fishermen. In the next phase, perhaps the government could consider expanding the landing centre or construct another facility in another location in Pamban that is not close to the channel,” he said.
A fisherman of Ramanathapuram said that steps must be taken to stop sea erosion at these locations. “It is a major concern for many of our people. Properly planned finger jetties will help,” he said.
Contractors have commenced initial work in all the locations — Dhanushkodi, T. Mariyoor, Pamban, Mugundarayarchatram, Thangachimadam and Vethalai in Ramanathapuram; and Iraymanthurai and Thoothoor in Kanyakumari. M. D. Dayalan of the Indian Fishermen Association, who welcomed the creation of fish landing centres to cater for the fishing hamlets, said that a maintenance plan must also be put in place. “After 2004 tsunami, a lot of facilities, including ice factories, were created but all of them were wasted owing to lack of maintenance. The money only went down the drain. A proper system must be implemented if hygiene is to be ensured at these centres,” he said.
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