Kerala to set up modern fishing harbour

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7: State Harbour Engineering Department is setting up a mini fishing harbour at coastal towns of Varkala-Chilakkoor to provide unloading as well as organised auction and selling of fishes.

This is for the first time the state government is coming up with the concept of modern fishing harbour. Terracon Ecotech, a ecology-based advisory services and turnkey solutions, has submitted the Environment Impact Assessment Report to the department outlining the environmental impacts of the project and the mitigation measures to be adopted.

Terracon's association with the department is expected to provide additional safety and increase in fishing days along with auction halls for its sale and overall development of fishermen with the construction of the harbour, a release said here.

"We believe this project will contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of the fisherman community," Ramesh Madav Director Terracon Ecotech said. Since Chilakkoor is famous for fishing and is being used by the fishermen for sailing, the harbour would give safe landing facilities for the fishing boats, he said. Further, the increase in number of fishing days and hygienic handling of fishery products are some of the benefits of the new projects, the release said.

PTI