The Hindu : BOT proposal for Sakthikulangara harbour

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

BOT proposal for Sakthikulangara harbour

By Ignatius Pereira

KOLLAM, MARCH 23. A proposal has been moved to hand over the Sakthikulangara Fishing Harbour, near here, to the private sector under the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) scheme as part of a development programme. The proposal will be submitted to the State Government shortly for approval. When effected, the Sakthikulangara Harbour will become the first fishing harbour in the State to come under the BOT scheme. The harbour is presently under the control of the Harbour Engineering Department (HED).

The Neendakara Fishing Harbour on the opposite bank will, however, continue to remain under the control of the HED. The HED has in fact prepared a comprehensive draft on how the BOT scheme should be effected at the harbour complex. The HED chief engineer, Shaikh Pareed, told The Hindu that the draft would soon be submitted to the State Government for approval. The first phase of the proposed scheme involves a Rs.10-crore development project, he said. The BOT proposal for the Shakthikulangara harbour was taken after two rounds of talks between the top officials of the Fisheries Department, the HED and the representatives of the seafood exporters, the fishing boat operators and trade union leaders of fish workers held in February.

The talks were held at the district collectorate conference hall here and the meetings were presided over by the Secretary of the Fisheries Department, S. Subbiah. It was after weighing several proposals for the development of the harbour that the BOT scheme was finally approved as the viable option. The other options that were considered included constitution of a cooperative society, launching a limited company by mobilising public funds and giving the harbour under lease. But it was the BOT proposal that found all round support.

While the boat operators and the exporters wholeheartedly welcomed the move, the trade union leaders expressed reservations mainly on aspects relating to the rates, which can come into force for using the harbour once under the BOT scheme. That issue was settled following a decision to constitute a committee comprising the district collector, the district panchayat president and others concerned as members in order to monitor and control the rates.

As per the BOT scheme draft, aspects relating to hygiene at the harbour would be given top priority and the same would be effected in tune with the European Union standards. The entire scheme would also be carried as per specifications of the Marine Products Export Development Authority. The amenities proposed under the scheme will comprise three separate auction halls, one for shrimp and prawns, another for squid and cuttle fish and the third one for other varieties of fish. The draft proposal also includes a police station, bank, post office, diesel pump, ice plant, storage facilities, a hospital and a waste disposal plant all within the harbour complex.

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