Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Aug 18: The government’s threat to curb the subsidy on diesel provided to fishing boats in case the engines of 350 hp not changed to 250 hp within six months was severely condemned by Karnataka Fishery Development Cell President Nithin Kumar at press meet held on Saturday August 18.
Addressing the press conference he said that currently the owners of the boats with 350 hp engines are asked to buy the 250 hp engines thereby to incur additional cost of Rs 12 lac. They have already invested Rs 16 lac for 350 hp engines and hence an additional cost of Rs 12 lac will only land fishermen in more debts, he said.
He stated that except in Karnataka, fishermen along the west coast states of India like Gujarat, Maharastra, Goa and Kerala have been allowed with engines of 350 hp and more. Hence equivalent rules should be implemented across the west coast states, thereby to minimize the loss suffered by Karnataka fishermen, he urged.
He informed that a committee named ‘Karnataka Karavali Meenugarara Kriya Samithi’ has been formed which consists of as many as 67 fishermen unions and an appeal has been recently sent on this regard to the state government principal secretary.
To a query he informed there are approximate of 400 such boats with 350 hp engines in DK district and 1000 boats with 350 hp engines in three districts namely DK, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.
Nithin Kumar on the issue of jetty expansion (expansion of fisheries harbor) said that there are about 2000 mechanized boats depending on Mangalore fisheries harbor; however lack of space caused from slow work of third phase of fishing harbor has been hampering the smooth work. There are instances of boats being damaged due to lack of space currently, he said. The delay in design work of the project has stalled the work since eight months, he added. He urged the state and central governments to release the required money.
Referring to the repeated incidents of the boats sinking in Alive Bagilu, he urged for dredging to be done to remove silt completely and to strengthen the breakwater structure.
He condemned the DC and said that Dr Channappa Gowda has not heeded their demand to urge Bharath Ship Yard to dredge the silt accumulated in Kudroli Bengre Shipyard, Kasba and Thota Bengre areas.
He also urged that the two ships which sank in Ullal and Tannir Bavi Sea have been causing damage to the fishing boats and hence the area should be marked with some signs to evade further such mishaps.
Leaders Umesh G Karkera, Naveen Bangera, Harishchandra Mendon, Manohar among others were present.