Bharathi Shipyard gives in to the Mangalore local fishermen’s demands to dredge the accumulated sand from the sea.
Local fishermen could not move their boats into the sea due to the accumulation of sand, which they believe was caused by Bharathi Shipyard that clogged sands in Kudroli Bengre Shipyard.
The shipyard was ordered to dredge the accumulated sand, but they postponed the dredging work stating that the shipyard is in a “financial crisis”. According to daijiworld.com, the fishermen heard they were launching a new ship and decided to hold a protest preventing the new ship from venturing into the sea.
This urged the Bharathi Shipyard to hold a meeting with the fishermen where they discussed the dredging works to be financed by the shipyard in the area from Kasba Bengre and dredging of other areas which would be covered by the government grant. After that, the shipyard appealed to DC Channappa Gowda that local fishermen are causing problems, which further enraged the fishermen and caused them to approached the DC as well.
On Saturday, Fisheries Development Corporation president Nithin Kumar said that representatives of the shipyard have agreed in writing to carry out dredging in two years at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
Karnataka Persian Boat Fishermen Union honorary president Umesh Karkera, president Naveen Karkera, secretary Naveen Bangera, Trawl Boat Fishermen Union vice-president Raheem Ullal, and fishermen leader Shashikumar were present.
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Dredging Today Staff, April 9, 2012; Image: newmangalore-port