Naveen calls for dredging of Mahanadi mouth for safe navigation of vessels

22 March, Bhubaneswar

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday requested the Union government to take up dredging of the Mahanadi river mouth and the navigational channel urgently for smooth and safe navigation of the vessels.

Patnaik in a letter to Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari asked him to issue appropriate instruction to the Paradip Port Trust authorities for the dredging of the river mouth.The Chief minister said currently the depth available at the river mouth is less than one metre against the minimum requirement of 4 metre for smooth navigation.The fishermen, he said, had been demanding for the dredging of the river mouth for reduction of accidents and casualties which has shown an increasing trend.

Patnaik said the Central institute of Coastal Engineering for Fishing, Bengaluru has reported that due to beach nourishment work taken up by the Port Trust for protection of sea wall, the siltation at the river mouth has been aggravated and no remedial measures have been taken to arrest the movement of sand towards the river mouth and navigation channel.

The Chief minister said as many as 30,000 are engaged directly or indirectly in Paradeep Fishing harbor in which 640 mechanized fishing vessels and 100 FRP boats operate.The harbor was developed under the centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Agriculture and completed in 1996.

Patnaik said before 2011, the management and maintenance of the fishing harbor was being carried out by Paradeep Port Trust. The port authorities had taken up dredging of the navigational channel during 1997-98.Since then no maintenance dredging has been carried out and currently the fishing harbor is being managed by a management society having suitable representation from the fishermen and other stake holders.BM