Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Apr 2: Speaker of the Karnataka legislative assembly, U T Khader, has directed officials and oil companies to ensure an uninterrupted supply of diesel and LPG cylinders to fishing boats operating from the local fishing harbour.
Presiding over a meeting with fishing organisations, boat owners, oil company representatives, and senior officials at the deputy commissioner’s office on April 1, the speaker emphasised that the fishing industry must not face any hurdles due to fuel shortages.
Speaker Khader instructed the director of fisheries to urgently issue the necessary code numbers to reopen the Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation (KFDC) diesel outlet at the Old Port. He stressed that diesel supply must be maintained consistently to prevent any disruption in fishing activities.
Raising concerns during the meeting, Chetan Bengre, president of the Mangaluru Trawl Boat Fishermen's Association, noted that the ongoing Middle East crisis has severely impacted diesel supplies, causing significant distress to the industry. He urged the government to compensate for the losses incurred due to the hike in diesel prices.
In response to the demand for LPG, representatives from oil companies stated that as per union government guidelines, 20% of distribution is reserved for priority sectors including hospitals, educational institutions, Indira canteens, and fisheries. They assured the meeting that LPG cylinders would be distributed on a priority basis.
The speaker further directed that at least 130 to 150 cylinders be made available to fishermen to meet their cooking requirements while at sea. He instructed that the KFDC ensure each boat departing from the Bunder fishing wharf receives at least one cylinder.
Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Darshan H V instructed fisheries officials to coordinate with oil companies to secure a dedicated quota of 130 to 150 cylinders for the fishing sector from the district's overall allocation.
The managing director of KFDC informed the meeting that the corporation already has a diesel distribution agency in place. Once the official code number is obtained, the department will secure the diesel quota and commence distribution to the fishermen immediately.