Local fishermen worried about MRPL’s proposed SPM project

Local fishermen worried about MRPL’s proposed SPM project

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Aug 20, 2012 : Mangalore’s fishing community is worried that part of a damaged undersea effluent pipeline that is now submerged near New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) might damage their fishing nets. They are also worried about the Single Point Mooring (SPM) proposed by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL).

Nithin Kumar, president of Mangalore Trawl Boat Meenugarara Sangha, told reporters that part of an effluent pipeline belonging to Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) was damaged when MSEZ was working on it a few months ago. The NMPT removed the damaged pipeline from its channel, but left the pipeline submerged outside its channel as it is. He complained that this submerged pipeline is creating problems for trawl boats that operate in this area. Fishing nets that touch the sea bed get damaged when they come in contact with the submerged pipeline. In spite of their protests, Deputy Commissioner N. S. Channappa Gowda has done nothing about it, he added.

Speaking about the same issue, Umesh Karkera, honorary president of the Karnataka Purse Seine Fishermen Association, said that the DC has not even convened a meeting to discuss their fears regarding MRPL’s SPM project.

Naveen Bangera, general secretary of the Purse Seine Fishermen Association, said that fishermen are also facing a number of problems because of the absence of buoys to indicate the presence of submerged ships such as MV Den Den. He also complained that the Department of Fisheries is least bothered about the problems of fishermen.