Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)
Kundapur, Jul 20: Karnataka minister of fisheries Venkata Rao Nadagouda visited Gangolli fisheries port on Thursday July 19.
He inspected the breakwater and other development works being undertaken at Gangolli port and received complaints from fishermen. Fisheries department director H S Veerappa Gowda and ports and inland water transport department executive engineer Nagaraja gave details of the various works.
Speaking to news reporters after visiting Gangolli fisheries port, the minister said that the state government has decided to lend a loan of Rs fifty thousand to fisherwomen at the rate of 0% interest. “The order will be passed after discussing with the chief minister. As the central government has reduced supply of kerosene oil, the department of food and civil supplies had suspended supply of oil. Discussions were held with the chief minister in this connection and orders to supply kerosene oil through the department of food and supplies as before are issued,” said the minister.
“Rs eleven thousand crore loan of the farmers is waived off in the first stage as per JDS party manifesto. The government has thought over waiving loans of fishermen also. Though coalition government is in the state, farmer's loans are waived off as promised. As the union government has reduced supply of kerosene oil, the state government is thinking of alternative arrangements for fishing boats. German technology electronic boat is being tried in Malpe on experimental basis. Fishermen should think of using those if the experiment is successful. The state government will join hands with fishermen regarding inserting electronic engine in their boats.
“There are several technicalities in the construction of jetty and discussions on floating jetty are in progress. Floating jetty is constructed in Goa. A team of higher officials and technicians will go to Goa to inspect and conduct feasibility study of the jetty. If the floating jetty is successful, such jetties will be implemented in various fisheries ports in the state,” he said.
“A proposal of handing over Gangolli manganese wharf area to the fisheries department will be submitted to the department of ports. The connecting roads will be developed on priority by the department of fisheries. Discussions will be held with housing board head so that houses may be constructed for fishermen,” he said.
Byndoor MLA B M Sukumar Shetty who presided over the programme said that there are ample opportunities for fishing and tourism in Gangolli but no projects are implemented here. “There are five fishing ports in Byndoor Vidhan Sabha limits and Gangolli has still remained behind in development. Therefore, the government should think of its all round development. It should understand the problems and difficulties of fishermen and respond to them. Five crore rupees meant for development of ports should be used for development of Gangolli. The loans of fishermen should be waived off,” he said.
Taluk panchayat members Surendra Kharvi, Narayana K Gujjadi, fisheries department director H S Veerappa Gowda, department joint director M L Doddamani, minister's private assistant Viroopaksha, port and inland water transport department executive engineer Nagaraja, fisheries department deputy director Parshwanatha, assistant director Anjanadevi, ice plant association president Rajendra Suvarna, Gangolli ports development committee president Purushotham Arkadi, JDS district president Yogish Shetty and others were present.
Gangolli country boat fishermen's association president H Manju Billava welcomed the gathering. Gangolli purse-seine boat fishermen's association president Ramesh Kunder compered the programme.