Around 100 mechanised boats that were damaged during last year’s monsoon and sunk inside the Kasimedu fishing harbour are being removed by the owners. The boats require a day to be lifted up from the water.
They will be taken to one of the three designated spots — fish drying yard, slip way and a diesel bunk that have been closed, where they would be dismantled and sold as scrap. “It would take them three days to break the boats down. The owners pay the Fisheries Department a returnable deposit, which would be given back to them when they submit proof of removal of debris,” said a source.
The wood and steel removed from various parts including gantry, gear box, winch, engine and hull would be sold part by part fetching around ₹1 lakh per boat by way of scrap. “Many of these owners have so far been unable to lift the boats out due to lack of fishing and catch. These boats would have cost them around ₹20 lakh each, but now apart from insurance and some government aid, they would not get back even half that amount. Many boat owners have left the trade and are working as watchmen,” said M. E. Raghupathi, community leader. Fishermen have been urging Chief Minister to announce some revival plan for the sector.