Salvage capsized boat within 6 months, Palemar to Port officer

He was replying to the fishermens’ demand of removing the sunken boat from the estuary.

Coastal Karnataka Fishermen Action Committee General Secretary Vasudeva Bolur said all the 15 ports in the State are in trouble as dredging is not undertaken.

A boat has sunk near the estuary two years ago. As many as 13 fishing boats have capsized owing to the sunken steel boat. Authorities concerned have failed to initiate any measures in this regard.

Umesh Karkera said it is impossible to carryout fishing without undertaking dredging.
When Port Officer could not give an answer, the Minister took him to task. The Minister urged the officer to make sure that a danger light is installed in the vicinity where ship is sunk to mark the danger zone for the fishermen.

Karkera said the portfolio of fisheries and port must be in the hand of one person. Dredging and breakwater in every harbour is the need of the hour.

B B Kanchan said “Angarakatte port was inaugurated in 1999. Boats have capsized three to four times in the last one year.

After the inauguration of the port, government has not released a single paise for its maintenance. As many as 200 boats anchor in the port. There is no streetlight in the port for the past 10 years. If the authorities fail to install streetlights, then we will install it.”
He urged the Minister to develop smaller ports.

To a query by a fisherman, the Minister assured that the government is committed towards the maintenance of the jetty at Kulai.

Bolur said state government has failed in tackling sea erosion. A proposal has been pending in the Centre for the last several years.

A fishermen said fishing will be stopped if the dredging work is not undertaken in Bhatkal immeditealy.

Ports Executive Engineer Gopal Nayak said the work to check sea erosion will commence from 2010. Government has earmarked Rs 272 crore towards checking sea erosion in the coastal Karnataka. Of which, Rs 216 crore is earmarked for Ullal.

Minister urged the fisheries department officials to distribute the identity cards for the fishermen to enter New Mangalore Port during emergency after holding discussion with the traffic manager of the Port at the earliest.

Palemar said a sum of Rs 3 crore has been released for the development of Angarakatte port. The work will commence soon.

‘NoC for UPCL coal storing yard’

“We have given NOC to Udupi Power Corporation Ltd (UPCL) (formerly Nagarjuna Power Corporation Ltd) for the coal storing yard of the company at the New Mangalore Port,” said District-in-Charge Minister Krishna Palemar.

Speaking to presspersons onthe sidelines of the fishermen meeting, he said: “We have not given the company permission to store coal in other places, other than NMPT and industrial area.”

In fact, Mangalore City Corporation has agreed to supply 100 cubic metres of water an hour to the coal storing yard  at the New Mangalore Port by 2011.  The resolution was passed keeping in mind the additional quantity of water that would become available to the city from the Lakhya dam in Kudremukh, and the new vented dam at Thumbay after two years, he added.