Congested fishing harbour to be expanded

NAGERCOIL

NAGERCOIL

The congested Colachel Fishing Harbour will be expanded to accommodate more mechanised boats as it lacks facilities to meet the rapidly growing demands.

Addressing fishermen grievance meet on Friday, Collector M. Aravind said various surveys on expansion of Colachel Fishing Harbour had been conducted in a bid to accommodate more mechanised boats in this busy harbour. Following the surveys, the techno economic feasibility report had been prepared and submitted to the Tamil Nadu government.

On getting the government’s administrative sanction, steps would be taken to expand the harbour to accommodate more mechanised boats and create additional facilities to ensure hassle-free berthing of boats and auctioning of fishes, he said.

 The Collector informed that the country boat fishermen from Keezha Manakkudi, Manakkudi, Pallam and Periyakaadu coastal villages could anchor their vessels near the spot close to the Chinna Muttom Fishing Harbour. The fishermen, who would anchor their country boats near Chinna Muttom Fishing Harbour, could also auction their fishes at this place.

He said that the Tamil Nadu government had constructed fish landing and auction centres in the coastal hamlets of Neerodi, Vallavilai and Marthandamthurai on an outlay of Rs. 116 crore. Moreover, work on upgrading the Thaengaaipattinam Fishing Harbour into an integrated fishing harbour had commenced. The 15 coastal hamlets in this region could use these facilities.

When the fishermen raised the issue of clash between country boat and catamaran fishermen during the ongoing annual fishing ban period for the mechanised boats, Mr. Aravind assured them that the officials concerned would be instructed to study the issue and take appropriate remedial measures.