KOCHI: The incident in which 12 inboard-motor powered fishing vessels, moored at Vypeen Kalamukku fishing harbour, drifted onto sea has underscored the need to expedite the harbour development project which has been caught in red tape for more than a decade.
On Tuesday, the unattended vessels drifted out after the cleat to which they were tied snapped.
The fishermen and staff of Vypeen fishing station had a tough time stopping the vessels from slipping into the shipping channel, which would have brought operations at Kochi Port to a halt.
Though more than a hundred fishing vessels operate from Kalamukku harbour, the project for development of the harbour has been delayed due to lack of cooperation from the Cochin Port Authority.
As the harbour doesn’t have the required draft, the fishing vessels are not able to approach it. It is a strenuous exercise for fishermen to board the vessels and unload fish at the harbour.
“Fishermen have been holding agitations from 2005 demanding development of Kalamukku harbour, which is the lifeline for traditional fishermen in Kochi and Alappuzha. In 2005, the Cochin Port Trust had agreed to conduct dredging and increase the draft at the harbour. However, port authorities have backtracked on their promise,” said Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi state president Charles George.
In 2011, the state government approved the harbour development project and cleared an estimate of Rs 11.75 crore for the purpose. However, there was no follow-up action. A year earlier, then fisheries minister S Sarma had taken the initiative to build an auction hall at the harbour.
Though the previous fisheries minister, J Mercykutty Amma, sanctioned the harbour project in 2019, the work was abandoned midway. “The project has been delayed due to apathy of the Kerala government and lack of cooperation from port authorities. Fishing boats from Ponnani to Alappuzha operate from this harbour during the monsoon season. We had staged a port blockade this year demanding construction of the harbour. However, authorities have not responded to our demand. In these circumstances we have decided to launch a fresh agitation demanding immediate steps to develop the harbour,” Charles said.