UDUPI: Minister for Fisheries B. Nagaraj Shetty said on Wednesday that the State Government would soon take up dredging at various fisheries harbours in the coastal districts.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for an ice plant of the Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation at the Malpe Fisheries Harbour, here.

Mr. Shetty said that there were complaints from fishermen that accumulation of silt at various harbours had made it difficult for the boats to enter them. The Government would ask an external agency to do the dredging.

The State Government had also decided to purchase a dredger and had submitted a proposal to the Union Government.

In order to prevent accidents , the Government had decided to install new signal lights.

The Government wanted to provide basic facilities to the fishermen at the harbours such as drinking water, toilets, proper drainage system and auction sheds. The Government had increased the quota of subsidised diesel from 50,000 kilolitres to 75,000 kilolitres. The kerosene provided to every boat had been increased from 200 litres to 400 litres.

Medical Education Minister V.S. Acharya laid the foundation stone for the auction hall, net mending and gear shed on the occasion.

MLAs Raghupati Bhat and Lalaji Mendan, president of Udupi Zilla Panchayat B.N. Shankar Poojary, president of Udupi Urban Development Authority K.T. Poojary and zilla panchayat member Kota Srinivas Poojary, were present.

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