KOCHI: The Rs 140-crore Kochi fishing harbour modernisation project announced by the Union government in the 2021 budget is expected to be launched this year, said Cochin Port Trust chairperson M Beena.
“The Union government had suggested some changes in the detailed project report (DPR) submitted by the consultant. We have submitted a revised DPR on Monday after incorporating the changes. The project is expected to be launched this year,” she told TNIE.
Kochi is the biggest fishing harbour in Kerala, and around 1,000 trawlers operate from here. The DPR includes a proposal to provide berthing facilities to fishing boats, cold storage, processing unit, ice plant, and wastewater treatment plant. Meanwhile, the decision of the Port Trust to engage a private contractor for toll collection at the harbour has been withheld for a month following protests from labour unions.
The unions have alleged that the decision to hand over the toll collection to a private party is part of the plan to privatise the harbour. Refuting the allegation, Beena said there is no such proposal and the Kochi port and MPEDA are expediting steps to modernise the harbour.
At a meeting convened on Monday, the chairperson assured trade unions that all decisions regarding the development of the harbour will be implemented after discussing with stakeholders. A private agency was engaged for toll collection through tender and the amount received through toll collection will be utilised for the maintenance of the harbour.
A meeting of the Fisheries Harbour Advisory Committee will be convened to discuss the toll collection, she said. Harbour Protection Committee patron C D Nandakumar alleged that the decision to engage a private party for toll collection was part of a larger plan to privatise the harbour. Around 10,000 labourers are dependent on the harbour for their livelihood, and the workers will oppose any move to privatise it, he said.