Badly Hit: A trawler at Akkaraigori in Cuddalore was damaged when it hit a groyne on Friday.
CUDDALORE:
The heavily silted sea mouth at the Cuddalore Port has become a death trap for fishermen, because many crafts are continually taking a pounding while entering and exiting at this point, inflicting huge losses.
On Friday morning, a trawler on its return from a fishing expedition, ran aground at Akkaraigori, not far away from the port. The bottom of the trawler and fishing net were badly damaged. Fish catch worth Rs.10,000 fell into the sea because of the tossing of the trawler in the process. Local fishermen said that of late, such incidents had become quite common because of heavy silt deposit at the sea mouth.
M. Subramani, a local leader of fishermen, told The Hindu that in the last five years, not less than 10 boats, including motorised boats, trawlers and fibre boats were damaged. Last year, when a fibre-boat capsized, a 55-year-old fisherman, Kandiappan, drowned in the sea. The tragedy occurred quite close to the shore. In fact, coastal residents had staged a road roko to draw the attention of the authorities. Mr. Subramani said fishermen had submitted several representations to Fisheries Minister K.P.P. Sami, the port authorities, the Fisheries Department and the Collector to deepen the sea mouth, but to no avail.
Groynes inadequate
He pointed out that groynes erected on either side of the sea mouth after the 2004 tsunami remained far short of providing safe passage to boats. On an average, boat owners are spending Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh annually for repairing the boats that are damaged either by hitting the boulders in the groynes or running aground. If the seaway is deep enough, the vessels would firmly stay on course and only when the siltation is building up would the vessels stagger because the propeller blades would take the beating.
The fishermen said that if the siltation were to be arrested, the groynes should be extended to another 150 to 200 metres into the sea. Mr. Subramani also said that at the same time, dredging should be taken up. Assistant Director of Fisheries Department R. Ilamparithi said that whenever such problems occurred, the fishermen used to bring it to his notice and he, in turn, would communicate it to the Commissioner of Fisheries Department. The official would take it up with the Maritime Board, the executing authority.
0 கருத்துகள்:
கருத்துரையிடுக