BHUBANESWAR:The State Government on Wednesday urged the Centre to direct Paradip Port Trust (PPT) for taking up dredging of Mahanadi river mouth and navigational channel for smooth landing of fishing vessels.
Fishing vessels are facing difficulty in landing at harbour due to heavy siltation at the river mouth. As a large number of fishermen families depends on this harbour for livelihood, they have been demanding dredging of the river mouth, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a letter to Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The Paradip fishing harbour is a major fish landing centre in the east coast where about 640 mechanised fishing vessels and100 FRP boats operated. This has provided direct and indirect employment to about 30,000 people.
The depth available at the river mouth is less than one metre though the fishing vessels require a minimum depth of four metres for smooth and safe navigation. The fishermen have been demanding for dredging of the river mouth for reduction of accidents and casualties, which are showing an increasing trend, the letter stated.
“I request you to issue appropriate instructions to PPT to take up dredging of the river mouth and the navigational channel urgently for smooth and safe navigation of fishing vessels,” Naveen said.
The harbour was developed under the Centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Agriculture in 1996. PPT was managing and maintaining the harbour before 2011.
The port authorities had taken up dredging of the navigational channel during 1997-98. Since then, no maintenance dredging has been carried out. At present, the fishing harbour is being managed by a society with members from fishermen and other stakeholders.
Chief Secretary AP Padhi had taken up the issue with the PPT Chairman in December last year. He had requested PPT to carry out dredging of Mahanadi mouth at its own cost to facilitate normal functioning of the fishing harbour.