Boat owners ‘cheat’ to make a fast buck

Communication gap between two government departments coupled with lacunae in vigilance has benefited a few private boatmen along the Kakinada coast. The erring boat owners obtained permission from the Fisheries Department and utilising the same as harbour craft in the port to make more money with less tax.

From obtaining licence to paying annual taxes, licence from the Fisheries Department is much simpler and economical compared to the one issued by the Department of Ports to the harbour crafts. Hence, some of the boat owners tread the short-cut and even resorted to ‘manage’ a few field-level staff of the Ports Department and operating their fishing boats as harbour vessels. “There is a 10-time difference in the licensing fee for a fishing boat and the harbour vessel,” says K. Dharma Sastha, Port Officer at Kakinada.

Following the seizure of a fishing boat in Odisha while it was being used for port works, the Kakinada Port officials conducted thorough verification of the licences of the harbour vessels and spotted four more fishing boats being operated in port waters. “The fishing boat is equipped with one engine, whereas the harbour vessel requires two engines. All these erring owners installed one more engine to run the show in the port. We have placed under suspension one of our employees on the charge of assisting these errant,” explains the official.

“We have brought the issue to the notice of the Fisheries Department and the police as well,” points our Mr. Dharma Sastha.

Deputy Director of the Fisheries Department P. Jaya Rao, however, says the licences of all the five boats have been cancelled.