Paradip fishing harbour. Telegraph picture

Paradip, April 14: The state government has drawn up an ‘ambitious’ infrastructure development project to refurbish the ‘ailing’ Paradip fishing harbour, widely regarded as the largest off country’s eastern coast.

The fishing harbour was freed from the administrative control of the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) yesterday after a meeting between the officials of the PPT and the state government. A harbour management and development society, headed by the state’s fisheries secretary, was constituted yesterday to oversee its management and development. The society will take measures to meet the European Union’s hygiene specifications on export of marine produces.

Officials said that a Rs 5-crore project report has been prepared to give the fishing hub a facelift. Refurbishment work of the harbour would start shortly after the lease deed agreement is registered between the state fisheries department and the PPT.

“Modalities for efficient functioning of the all-weather harbour were worked out yesterday. State fisheries secretary Satyabrata Sahu held discussion with PPT authorities, the local administrative officials, and the state police, besides representatives of various stakeholders and marine fishermen communities,” said Rabi Narayan Pattnaik, assistant director of fisheries (marine).

The members of the harbour management and development society would comprise, among others, fisheries personnel and experts in pisciculture, besides stakeholders like trawl operators, the marine fish producers’ association and traditional marine fishermen. The society would take up the development projects for renovation of the harbour according to international standards, said an official of the state fisheries department.

Besides, a ‘daily expenditure committee’ has been constituted for day-to-day management of the harbour. The stakeholders would now have to pay users’ fees that would come in handy for maintenance of the harbour.

“Our focus is to maintain transparency in the management of the harbour. Emphasis is also on to maintain cleanliness and hygienic environment in the harbour. We are flush with Rs 5 crore funding from the National Fisheries Development Board. The entire fund would be judiciously used for upgrade of infrastructure. The auction hall, where marine fish trade is principally carried out, is in bad shape. It would be refurbished on a priority basis. Besides, plan is on to build another auction hall because of increase in marine fish produce. As part of hygienic measures, a treatment system would be installed to stop the waste and effluents from going into the waterbodies,” said Pattnaik.