Fishermen of Kasimedu are demanding that an agency be appointed for cleaning the Chennai Fishing Harbour.
Fed up with no cleaning activity in the 24.28 hectare compound, various associations have attempted to clear the place from time to time but to no avail.
At least 9,000 boats of various sizes including 7,000 fibre boats and 1,800 mechanised boats anchor and operate out of this busy harbour that handles around 170 tonnes of fish everyday.
Vinoth of the Chennai Tiruvallur Murpokku Meenavar Sangam, one of the associations that has been trying to create awareness about the dangers of plastics among fishers, said that garbage only keeps piling up since there is no regular system in place to clean the harbour. “There are no bins, very few sweepers, no trucks or tricycles to cart the garbage. At times people just set fire to the garbage to get rid of it. But now, with the rains that will not be possible,” he said.
M.D. Dayalan of the Indian Fishermen Association said that as the harbour — inaugurated in 1983 — is under the control of a fishing harbour management committee, no other agency has been able to clean it. “For a long time now, the Fisheries department has been attempting to take over the control. But it has not happened. The Greater Chennai Corporation too has refused to take up conservancy work here,” he said.
Garbage including old fishing nets, food waste, broken thermocol containers, plastic covers, disposable cups, waste from boat-making and old spare parts can be found littered all round the harbour.
“Debris from outside is also dumped inside the harbour. There is no sewer system inside and the sewage from ice factories, fish cleaning and fish auction hall just meanders around going nowhere. There are no toilets or provisions for safe drinking water. But the management committee collects various charges including service charges without providing any service,” alleged Madhavan, a fisherman.
In response, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said that the government has been spending funds on creating and improving facilities including wharfs for the fishermen inside the harbour.
“However, we don’t have control over the harbour. A proposal seeking to take it over is under the consideration of the Government of India. Once that is through, we will take action. We hold regular joint meetings with the Port Trust asking them to improve conditions,” he said.