Karwar fishermen feel shortchanged

Karwar: The arrival of country’s biggest aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya may have raised the strategic importance of Karwar, but the local fishermen feel shortchanged after giving up the coastline for Project Seabird, where they and their ancestors have carried out fishing for hundreds of years.

About 25 km of coastline, rich in fish fauna, has been occupied by the Indian Navy for the project. The fishermen who were displaced and provided land elsewhere claim the fish yield in the new place is not good enough. More­over their regular excursions into the sea are often hampered by the Naval vessels in the name of security.

The fishermen association had even held a protest claiming harassment by the Navy, and a meeting was organised by Karwar DC with fishermen and Naval officials. The Naval officials have been asked to inform the DC’s office before taking any action against the fishermen.

But the directions seem to have remained only in paper. “There is a small beach near Karwar kno­wn as Lady beach, which will be acquired by the Navy for expansion. While the Navy allo­ws its officers and their family members to pitch tents on the shore, it bans the fishermen to throw nets for their livelihood.

It’s a grave injustice to local community in the name of national security,” said Ganapati Ma­ngre, President of Coo­perative Fishing Mark­eting Federation, Karwar Mangre also claimed that the Naval officials have outsourced veget­able and fish contracts to their friends and ign­ored the local fishing community.

“Why can’t the Sea­bird base buy fish and vegetables from local market? The local market has enough fish even for exports; why not supply to the Naval base? Many contractors are either known to the Naval officials or they are from Mumbai and Goa,” Mangre said.

Mohan Bolashittikar, local activist and owner of a fishing vessel in Karwar said the Naval officials bar the entry of fishing boats and traw­lers even while operating in non-restricted zone. “For the last few days with the arrival of INS Vikra­maditya the security has been beefed up along the shore and fishing waters. The fishermen are virtually haras­sed by the navy citing security as a reason,” he said.

Naval officials however refused to comment when asked about the harassment of local fishermen, and said that the rehabilitation package was agreed long ago by the government and fishermen.