Udupi: Officials Visit Hejmady Mini Port – Rekindle Hope of Rejuvenation
News and pics: Chetan Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 8: Officials of the ports and fisheries departments from both the central and state governments visited Hejmady  mini port in the district on Monday February 7, and conducted a thorough inspection of the prevailing conditions. Local fishermen and people’s representatives were present during their visit.

MP, D V Sadanand Gowda, MLA, Lalaji R Mendon, zilla panchayt member, Geetanjali Suvarna, chairman of Coastal Development Authority,  B Nagaraj Shetty, chairman of Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation, Yashpal Suvarna, and other people’s representatives and local fishermen were consulted by the top officials of these departments. The officials also moved around the river and sea in the region in boats, to get a first hand account of the local conditions and needs of the mini port.

Addressing the fishermen on the occasion, Sadanand Gowda promised them to take up dredging work at Hejmady mini port by using two crore rupees earmarked for the purpose, shortly. He revealed that the central government too has set aside a sum of Rs 500 crore for coastal development, and that funds from all the available avenues would be pooled together for laying added impetus to the growth of this mini port. Noting that the central government officials were on a visit to this port for the first time ever, he hoped that the officials have realized the importance of developing the port as soon as possible, after seeing for themselves the ground realities.

In addition, in line with many other leaders, who promised a lot for the fishermen during their visit to Hejmady, Gowda doled out many other promises. A report prepared by the state officials, which had predicted heavy losses to the government if a mini port comes up at the proposed site, had resulted in hurdles in the progress of the port works. Even MLA, Lalaji Mendon, had felt the heat of the discontentment brewing among the fishermen on this count, and he had put in efforts to get the project going, by ensuring that the officials visit the spot.

It is not clear as to whether the higher officials, who went around the port area and surroundings for three to four hours, will prepare a favourable report or not. The fishermen, who have already been disillusioned with several such promises which proved false later, are reluctant to take the bite. They have instead chosen to wait with their fingers crossed.