Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Oct 18: State minister for fisheries, Anand Asnotikar, said that the foundation stone for the third phase extension of the fishing jetty at Bunder will be laid on November 2, and that union minister for agriculture, Sharad Pawar, and state Chief Minister, D V Sadananda Gowda, will grace the occasion.
He was speaking to reporters after visiting the area and inspecting the preparations on Monday October 17.
He explained that steps are being taken to conduct dredging activities at Hejmady and Mangalore fishing ports, and that the idea of the government itself owning dredgers instead of entrusting the task to private parties is under consideration. As this process takes a long time, for the present, services of private dredgers will be hired for the above task, he added. He explained that emergency compensation of Rs 50,000 only could be paid to the families of five fishermen out of six who drowned in a boat tragedy last month because of legal problems arising out of non-recovery of their bodies.
About the allegations that Kerala policemen and locals have been assaulting fishermen from the state who try to sell their products in Kerala, he said a secretary level dialogue between the fisheries departments of the two states will be held soon. He promised to personally speak to Kerala Chief Minister about this issue.
Chairman of Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation, Nitin Kumar, secretary, Shivaram, deputy director of fisheries department, Suresh Kumar, and former chairman of the corproation, Ramachandar Bykampady, accompanied the minister during his visit.
The minister also visited Ullal Kotepura near here on Monday, on a request made by MLA. U T Khader, to build a jetty especially for fishing activities at Kotepura near Ullal.
Khader impressed upon the minister the need to build the jetty, duly pointing out that the boats find it hard to moor at the jetty located at Bunder area in Mangalore, because of shortage of space there. He said that building of a jetty here will ease pressure on the jetty in Bunder, apart from working as a catalyst for development of Ullal.
After conducting spot inspection, the minister promised to take steps to build a fishing jetty there at the earliest.
During the visit, Ullal municipal president, Basil D’Souza, councillors, Bhagwan Das, Dayanand Tokkottu, Kunhi Monu and former councillor, Mayyaddi, were present.
He also visited Dr K Shivaram Karanth Biological Park in Pilikula Nisargadhama on Monday, and expressed his appreciation for the progress of work relating to the regional science centre being built there at a cost of nine crore rupees.