Chhatrapur: Fisheries and animal resources development department commissioner-cum-secretary Bishnupada Sethi Friday held a review meeting at the circuit house here over problems resulted from silting of the jetty on Gopalpur port premises in Ganjam district.
Apart from state higher education minister Pradeep Panigrahi, members of the district fishermen’s union and representatives of fishermen attended the meet. A seven-point charter of demands by the fishermen including de-silting of the jetty and construction of a new jetty came up for discussion in the meeting. Though several such meetings were held in the past, they didn’t yield any result, the union members said.
While minister Panigrahi expressed concern over the issue, it was decided in the meeting that a proposal would be moved recommending the government to set up a new jetty.
It was learnt that there is already a proposal in place to shift the jetty for security reason after the port becomes fully operational. In fact, a technical team from Chennai as well as top officials of the fisheries department had visited the port a month back and made a survey for the purpose.
A place along the sea coast between Sana Aryapalli and Bada Aryapalli areas was zeroed in to set up the jetty. As this is a time consuming process, the mouth of the old jetty on the port premises would be de-silted as a stopgap arrangement, the secretary said in the meeting.
The fishermen face a lot of problems while rowing their boats into the jetty since it has become shallow. At present, they are completely dependent on tidal surge to take their boats into the sea and bring them back to the jetty, representatives of the fishermen said.
Their other demands included appointment of a permanent assistant fishery officer (marine) and subsidy for buying boats, motor and fishing net. Secretary Sethi assured to meet most of their demands.
Among others, director Bijay Ketan Upadhyay, union president B Simadri and naib sarpanch M Gumali were present in the meeting.
Pradeep Maharathy, the minister of the department, is scheduled to visit the place over the issue August 4, it was learnt. PNN
