The Central government will do the needful to address the problems faced by fishers at Muthalapozhi, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, has said.
Mr. Rupala visited Muthalapozhi on Wednesday where more than 60 fishers lost their lives in fishing boat accidents over the years.
The expert committee studying the cause of the mishaps would submit its report soon, Mr. Rupala said. The Pune-based Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) had been tasked with identifying solutions in Muthalapozhi. The findings in the report would be discussed with the fishers, people’s representatives, and the State government, Mr. Rupala said.
The aim was to find a lasting solution to the problem at Muthalapozhi, he said.
Minister of State for Fisheries L. Murugan and Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan accompanied Mr. Rupala.
Muthalapozhi was back in the headlines after four fishers lost their lives after their boat capsized on July 10. Subsequently, the State government had initiated a slew of measures, including the removal of accumulated sand and scattered rocks from the Muthalapozhi harbour mouth.
A Central team of experts including Fisheries Development Commissioner Antony Xavier, Assistant Commissioner Ramakrishna Rao, and Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fishery (CICEF) director Venkatesh Prasad, had also visited Muthalapozhi on July 17.
