BENGALURU: Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport Mankal Subba Vaidya has blamed the Centre for creating hurdles in getting the clearance for projects in the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) despite it announcing certain relaxation in rules.
He said that in his own constituency, a port project launched by Honnavar Port Pvt Ltd (HPPL) has been hanging fire for over 11 years and an investor who has spent over Rs 150 crore is still struggling, with little respite from the “parasitic governmental and administrative systems”.
The state government had leased the port land to develop a barge and vessel loading facility to the North Canara Seaports-GVPREL consortium, which is Honnavar Port Pvt Ltd for 30 years. But the port land had already been occupied by illegal encroachers and fish dryers. After an order by the Dharward bench of the Karnataka High Court, the encroachers were evicted by 2016-end and HPPL took possession of the land.
But the Ports Department, meanwhile, had issued notices to HPPL demanding the rent for the leased land that had squatters. The work stalled in 2019 and 2020 because of Covid. In February 2021, local residents, through Hasimeenu Vyaparastara Sangha, filed a public interest litigation before the Karnataka High Court, challenging the proposed construction of the port, saying it is a turtle nesting ground, the houses would be demolished, environment would be harmed and fishing activities would be affected. By November 2021, the case was disposed of.
In the meantime, local residents disturbed the movement of vehicles/staff going in and out of the port site and manhandled them. Despite a situation like this, there was no support from the authorities to HPPL, the minister alleged.
In July 2022, the local fisherwomen filed a case before the National Green Tribunal, Chennai against the construction of a four-lane, 4 km road, alleging a violation of CRZ rules in CRZ III, CRZ -1A and 1B. Now, the validity of the project is going to expire.
Despite HPPL seeking an extension, there is no response from the authorities, citing the case before NGT. This has made it difficult for investors, like HPPL, to go forward. HPPL has been struggling to start the work, he said. Vaidya said, “Karnataka has 10 ports for development. Unless the government steps in to support the investors, who will invest here?”