Transporting fish in open vehicles to be banned

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 10, 2019: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil said here on Wednesday that he has constituted a sub-committee comprising officials from Transport and Fisheries departments to contain fish waste water spilling on roads and foul smell from rotten fish being transported in open vehicles.

 

Interacting with mediapersons during the meet-the-press programme here, Mr. Senthil said Goa and Kerala have imposed strict ban on movement of fish in open vehicles and similar measures would be emulated here.

He said fish transporters would be asked to carry fish only in containerised vehicles fitted with waste water tank.

“Transporting fish in open vehicles would completely be prohibited,” he said. Regarding transportation of rotten fish from Mangaluru fishing harbour to fish meal factories in Ullal by mini-goods vehicles, Mr. Senthil said the administration would ask the concerned to use barges between the harbour and fish meal factories on the other side of Netravathi.

No sand shortage

Responding to questions on sand availability in the district, Mr. Senthil said there was no shortage of sand for construction activities. The only issue the administration is concerned about is illegal sand extraction in coastal regulation zone affecting the environment, he said. “The district-level sand monitoring committee, of which I’m the head, should take the onus of any illegal extraction and transportation outside the district,” he said, admitting there have been instances of illegal transportation to neighbouring Kerala. Efforts are on to curb this practice with the involvement of departments concerned.

Mr. Senthil said the administration was able to curtail the number of sand extraction permits in CRZ from around 500 to just about 100 and has recommended to the government to keep the numbers in this range only. Yet, illegal extraction, deploying motorised heavy boats and so on are on, which will be curbed, he said.

44 sand blocks

The administration has identified 44 sand blocks in non-CRZ area while only 15 are claimed under tender. The government, including a few gram panchayats, would take up sand extraction in the remaining blocks, he said.

Courtesy:The hindu