NMPA appeals director of fisheries to permit to resume work on Kulai harbour

Mangaluru: New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) has requested the Director of Fisheries, Government of Karnataka to immediately permit it to resume the work at Kulai fishing harbour in the interest of the fishermen community.

The work was stalled by a group of people with irrelevant, unethical and baseless allegations. Following a complaint on quality of work, expert committees were constituted and reports were sought.

A complaint was received from 49 per cent JV partner, M/s GCC citing some concerns in the execution of the project with regard to alignment, layout of breakwaters and tranquillity at the mouth of basin.

After the approval of Port Authority Board, a technical committee comprising of three experts, one each from NIO Goa, NIOT Chennai and NCCR Chennai was constituted to look into the issues raised by GCC, 49 per cent JV partner.

The three-member Technical Committee visited the Kulai fishing harbour site, perused the documents related to the project and reports of NITK, Surathkal and concluded that the layout and alignment of the as built breakwater based on the recent RTK survey conducted on January 6, is in agreement with original layout stated in tender by NMPA.

As suggested by the three member technical committee, M/s CWPRS, Pune was requested to carry out study of the hydraulics of the Kulai fishing harbour to alleviate the fears raised by fishermen.

M/s CWPRS, Pune after carrying out the mathematical model studies for wave tranquillity, concluded that the development with North breakwater of 831 metre length and South Breakwater of 264 metre length is found to provide suitable wave tranquillity inside the basin and at the entrance of harbour for navigation of trawlers and small fishing crafts even during monsoon.

The Vigilance department of NMPA independently appointed National Institute of Technology, Calicut to examine the issues and complaint raised by the 49% JV partner M/s GCC. Accordingly, NITC who have domain expertise in oceanography and construction of breakwaters inspected the site and carried out a field survey on February 24 in presence of Vigilance department and Civil Engineering Department, NMPA.

NITC in the report had stated that the apprehensions raised by local fishermen, Department of Fisheries, and M/s GCC Mangalore have no merit.

The NITC have also substantiated the views of both three member expert committee and NITK Surathkal with regard to the breakwater layout, alignment and construction. It is also agreed upon that the constructed portion of the breakwater is in agreement with the original layout submitted by NMPA.