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Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (NJC)

Mangaluru, Sep 21: The Dakshina Kannada District Congress Fishermen’s Cell on Monday expressed gratitude to chief minister D K Shivakumar and the state government for addressing several long-pending demands of the fishing community and sanctioning various fisheries-related development works in the coastal region.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress Bhavan in Mallikatte, District Congress Fishermen’s Cell president Chetan Bengre said the chief minister’s recent visit to the Mangaluru fishing harbour and his interaction with fishermen had given the community hope that several long-standing issues would be addressed.

He said the Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru on September 18 approved several fisheries-related projects, including Rs 20 cr for fisheries-link roads and other works covering a jetty at Kotepura for traditional fishing boats, a berthing basin at Bengre, dredging-related works and installation of navigation buoys.

Bengre said the government had also sanctioned Rs 8 cr for country boats at Kotepura, Rs 6 cr for a boat dock at Kasaba Bengre and Rs 1 cr for navigation light buoys. He also welcomed the decision to establish a modern wholesale fish market at Ekkur.

He said the government had recently sanctioned Rs 5 cr for dredging near the sea mouth, describing it as an important step as several boats had reportedly met with accidents in the area.

Demand for cutter suction dredger

Bengre said dredging remained one of the most pressing issues faced by fishermen at the Netravati, Phalguni and sea-mouth areas, where, according to him, proper dredging had not been carried out for nearly 25 years.

“Small-scale dredging is carried out whenever funds are sanctioned, but it does not provide a permanent solution. We need a cutter suction dredger,” he said.

He explained that conventional arm dredgers often leave gaps while removing silt, resulting in the channel filling up again within a short period. A cutter suction dredger, he said, would help maintain a continuous channel and could be used at different locations along Karnataka’s coastline.

Bengre said that under the Sagarmala scheme, around Rs 29 cr had earlier been allocated for dredging to facilitate vessel movement, but the work had reportedly remained pending for several years as agencies had not come forward to undertake it.

He suggested that instead of depending entirely on contractors, the state government could consider procuring a dredger and using it for dredging works along Karnataka’s coastline.

Space for nearly 4,000 boats

Highlighting the shortage of berthing space, Bengre said Mangaluru had around 4,000 fishing boats of different categories, while the existing harbour infrastructure was inadequate to accommodate them.

He suggested developing additional docking and berthing facilities in areas such as Jeppinamogaru, Kotepura, Hoige Bazaar, Kudroli, Bokkapatna, Tannirbhavi and up to Kulur.

He also proposed using suitable port land for expanding facilities by utilising dredged sand, which, he said, could help create additional space for boat parking, boat-building yards, fish sheds and fish-cutting facilities.

According to him, removing and appropriately utilising the accumulated sand could also help address navigation problems caused by reduced water depth near the harbour.

Minister’s support welcomed

Bengre also expressed gratitude to the state’s Fisheries and district in-charge minister for regularly meeting fishermen, visiting the harbour and reviewing their demands.

He said the minister had assured the fishermen that the fisheries department and other concerned authorities would examine the proposals and take them up with the chief minister for a permanent solution.

The fishermen’s cell said the recent Cabinet decisions and the chief minister’s interaction with the fishing community had raised expectations regarding the modernisation of Mangaluru’s fishing infrastructure.

The press conference was attended by district secretary Ravishree and members including Navneeth Kera, Sarala Kanchen, Kumar, Kavitha Vasu and Pravitha.