Paradip, Oct. 4: Hit by dual administration and neglect for over a decade-and-half, the Paradip fishing harbour has finally come under the complete control of the state marine fisheries department.
Earlier, both the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and the state marine fisheries department were shouldering the responsibility of managing the state’s major fisheries harbour. The dual management allegedly posed a stumbling block and impeded the growth of the fishing hub.
Under the sole control of fisheries personnel, expectations are high that the harbour will get an infrastructure facelift as the state government-run centre would no more remain plagued with funds crunch.
“Recently, the PPT authorities made an official transfer of the harbour to the state marine fisheries department. The transfer was based on an agreement effective for ten years. From now, the PPT will have no say in the management and day-to-day functioning of the fishing hub,” said assistant director of fisheries (marine) Rabi Narayan Pattnaik.
“With an European Union (EU) panel scheduled to visit this harbour later this year, we have prioritised the work to revamp it to meet with the EU’s hygiene specifications on export of marine produces,” he said.
Funds are no longer a constraint for the refurbishment project even though the harbour was allegedly reduced to an object of neglect for a decade-and-a-half. The harbour allegedly failed to flourish over the years because of dual administrative control over it both by the state government and the PPT.
The state marine fisheries department was given complete administrative control over the harbour. A Rs 4.84 crore project of the National Fisheries Board to give the fishing hub the much-needed facelift is also expected to begin soon.
After restoring the sanitation standards, the state government would take up more infrastructure development projects such as renovating the basin. The river channel that meets with the sea from the harbour is heavily silted. This is resulting in mishaps such as vessel capsizal at periodic intervals. The harbour’s basin would be dredged for smoother navigation of seaward fishing vessels, said Pattnaik.
Maintenance of hygiene and sanitation in and around the harbour has assumed significance in view of the EU panel’s visit. The hygiene measures at the harbour are left much to be desired at present. Our first duty now is to meet with the hygiene yardsticks that have been made mandatory by the EU for export of marine produces.
“Following intervention by the ministries of agriculture and shipping, the harbour’s management has come under the administrative reins of the state government. An agreement will be worked out on with the PPT in this regard. The state government has already made a deposit of Rs 52,000 as leasing rent sought by the PPT against 39 acres of harbour land,” said Pattnaik.
A detailed project report has been prepared to give a facelift to the fishing hub. The National Fisheries Development Board will fund the project. The Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fishery (Cicef), which carries out the development of fishery harbours and brackish water shrimp farms across the country, will provide technical expertise for infrastructure development of the harbour. The fishing harbour, commissioned in 1996, has remained the state’s largest exporter of sea fish. An estimated 3,500 metric tonnes of high-grade shrimps are exported mainly to European countries every year from here. The annual shrimp export turnover from the harbour is of Rs 150 crore. This, incidentally, accounts for over 40 per cent of total annual shrimp export from the state.
The fishing harbour also caters to the needs of nearly 700 deep-sea fishing trawls and 2,000 medium-sized vessels. It helps out over 50,000 marine fishing stakeholders in their daily quest for livelihood.
