Karnataka   

10 ports to be developed with private participation

Malpe: Minister for Ports and Environment J. Krishna Palemar said on Monday that 10 ports in the State would be developed with private participation at a cost of Rs. 1,200 crore in the next five years.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Palemar said that the ports which would be developed are: Karwar, Belekeri, Tadari, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Gangolli, Hangarkatta, Malpe, Hejmady and Old Mangalore Port. They would be developed in two phases.

The development of Karwar port would be taken up first as a pilot project. The project on its completion would provide increased berthing and docking facilities to large sea faring vessels. The modalities regarding private participation in the development of Karwar port would be completed in the next three months. Four private companies had been short-listed for this purpose, he said.

Mr. Palemar said Rs. 10 crore had been allocated for dredging works at Karwar port. A sum of Rs. 5 crore had been allocated for the construction of houses under the Matsyashraya Scheme. The quota of subsidised diesel for fishermen had been increased to 75,000 kilolitres from 70,000 kilolitres. The Coastal Security Police was being strengthened along the coastline of the State to protect fishermen from any trouble by miscreants, he said.

Mr. Palemar said that the State Government had allocated Rs. 12 crore for the construction of third stage of Malpe Fisheries Harbour. Arrangements would be made to berth more boats in the Baputhota area of the port. Presently, the Malpe Fisheries Harbour was overburdened with 1,600 boats getting berthed there. Nearly one-third of dredging work of the Malpe Fisheries Harbour had been completed and the remaining work would be taken up shortly.

On the demand of fishermen that the ship building facility being constructed by Tebma Shipyards Ltd in the Malpe Port/Fisheries Harbour premises be shifted to some other place, Mr. Palemar said that he would study the matter carefully and decide upon the action to be taken. “The previous Governments — be it State or Union — have signed a contract with that company. We are bound by the contract. We simply cannot tell them to go. It will be illegal. We will see how best the interests of the fishermen can be protected.” he said. Asked about action against polluting industries, Mr. Palemar said that of the 130 highly polluting industries in the State, five were located in Dakshina Kannada district. His department would take action against all polluting industries. He said that he had no knowledge about the coal-based 1,015 MW thermal plant coming up at Yellur in Udupi district “either getting or not getting environmental clearance.”

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