JOIN USThe work on new fisheries port at Hejamady Kodi will be taken up by March-2019, said Joint Director of Fisheries (Marine) Ramacharya.
He was responding to a query from one Hamid, during the phone-in programme, organised by the DH-PV here, on Tuesday.
Ramacharya said the port would come up at a cost of Rs 138.60 crore and the Centre had already released Rs 13.86 crore.
“About 40 acres of land will be required for the purpose. Six acres of land identified for the construction of breakwater are in the names of different individuals. Udupi Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis has promised to transfer 25 acres of land to the fisheries department within 15 days,” Ramacharya said.
Once the State Cabinet approves the project, tender will be floated, he added.
Hamid recollected that the port inaugurated in 2004 was neglected by the fishermen.
To a query on third stage of the Mangaluru Fishing Harbour by Bharath Kumar from Ullal, Joint Director said that the work was taken up and the proposal would be realised within six months.
The third phase of the harbour was delayed due to many reasons and the estimated cost
escalated to Rs 83 crore from Rs 57 crore. Already works worth Rs 51 crore has been taken up.
The State government has already spent Rs 38 crore, he added. Ramacharya said the Centre has recently released Rs 15.10 crore.
“We have asked the State government to approve the construction of bridge to connect second phase of the harbour with the third phase and also to construct auction sheds at a cost of Rs 5 crore. Once the state government gives approval for the work, the amount will be released to the Port department.”
Saniv Kharvi from Maravanthe said that port built on the model of Kerala at Maravanthe was not properly utilised by fishermen.
Joint Director said that Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) had designed the work at a cost of Rs 54 crore.
However, the authorities without informing the CWPRS, changed the design of the southern breakwater. Due to the technical fault, the entire port could not be put to use.
Now, the CWPRS has proposed a work, at a cost of Rs 25 crore, to ensure that the port is useful to the fishermen.
Kulai jetty
To a query on Kulai jetty, he said the work would be taken up at a cost of Rs 196 crore. The state government will contribute Rs 9.8 crore. While NMPT will contribute 45%, the Ministry of Shipping will contribute 50% of the cost.
Fisheries department Deputy Director Chikkaveera Nayak said the tender for Kulai jetty will be finalised by the end of this month.
Ramacharya said that the government was considering a proposal to ease congestion and build a floating jetty for anchoring boats.
“In addition, a few private players had come forward to launch a floating diesel station in order to help the fishermen anchoring boats in the floating jetty.”