Mysuru: Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj inaugurated the newly-constructed office building of the Deputy Director for Fisheries, constructed at a cost of Rs. 90.80 lakh, in city yesterday.

The office is located at Vasu Layout, 9th Cross in Ramakrishnanagar K-Block, Dattagalli. The office has been constructed at an area of 1,407.22 Sq.mts by Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation. The new building will serve as a hub for the Fisheries Department in the region catering to neighbouring districts of Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Hassan and Kodagu.

Speaking after inauguration, the Minister said that projects taken up to develop inland fishing in the State have been successful with at least 60% progress achieved so far. As announced in the 2017-2018 Budget, the State Government has released 11.79 crore for different projects taken up by the Fisheries Department in Mysuru, he said.

ADVENTURE SPORTS AT VARUNA

He announced that the State Government has announced Rs. 5 crore to set up water sports at Varuna Lake in Mysuru. The Government is planning to set up water sports under Public-Private-Partnership model and all facilities will be provided to those keen in adventure sports.

“When I took over the responsibility of the Ministry, officials were directed to achieve at least 60% progress before September 2017. The progress has been exemplary as the 60% target has been achieved 40 days before the deadline. I have been reviewing the progress on a quarterly basis to monitor the work,” he said. Madhwaraj said that a long-pending demand of fishermen has been fulfilled this year as 323 fishermen have already been issued permission to fish in the waters of the KRS Dam.

“The fishermen have been demanding issuance of permission for over 30 years now. The move will eliminate the role of the middlemen. So, the fishermen will be free of exploitation. Permission will be issued to all fishermen who apply for it.

“They are free to fish and sell the catch without the intervention of middlemen. It was a difficult job to resist the lobby of middlemen but the task was accomplished due to the support of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah,” he said.

He distributed fishing kits to 20 persons. The kit included fishing net, nylon ropes, crates and fibre glass coracles. He also handed over the two-wheelers and jeeps to fishermen who bought them using Government subsidy.

No water to fish in KRS

Even as the Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports Pramod Madhwaraj said that 323 fishermen have already been issued permission to fish in the waters of Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam, fishermen in the region say that they have been hit hard by lack of water.

KRS region, including its backwaters, has been reeling under drought since the past four years. To make matters worse, the Fisheries Department has not released fishlings into the KRS Dam, affecting their livelihood badly.

Earlier, fishermen used to catch up to 10 kg of fish per day and now they hardly get even 1 or 2 kg. Moreover, popular varieties like katla and rohu are hard to find these days and the size of the fish has reduced due to various factors, including drought.