Fishermen stall boat cruise tourism project

• Oppose conversion of slipway jetty into passenger jetty at the fishing harbour
• Contend that it is the only place where they can carry out repair works to boats
• Stage protest before HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and district officials when they arrived the harbour on Wednesday

Visakhapatnam: The ambitious project of APTDC for taking tourists on rides in the Bay of Bengal on luxury boats, was temporarily put on hold after the local fishermen opposed the scheme stating that their livelihood would be affected badly.

HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and district officials faced an embarrassing situation at fishing harbour on Wednesday when the fishermen raised their voice against proposed operation of the Slipway Jetty as passenger jetty for permanent tourism facility (operating tourism boats and restaurant at the place).

The Slipway Jetty was built by the Visakhapatnam Port Trust for the convenience of the Naval delegations who participated in the recent International Fleet Review. The fishermen stated that the proposed tourism plans at the place would hit them hard as they have no place to carry out repair works except the slipway at the area.

The Minister along with Collector N Yuvaraju, Joint Collector J Nivas and a few other officials of tourism department reached the passenger jetty on Wednesday to explain to the media about their plans to operate tourism boats and start a restaurant to provide facilities to the visitors.

However, they faced strong reaction from the fishermen who demanded that the government should drop the proposal. The Visakhapatnam Port Trust has spent around Rs 4 crore and converted the slipway into a passenger jetty and put up a temporary hospitality centre for the recently concluded IFR.

Now, the APTDC came forward to operate two tourist boats from the passenger jetty by hiring them from Kakinada based San Marine boat operators to provide tourists with a cheaper mode of transport and to savour the beauty of Vizag beaches. They also planned to start a restaurant for the tourists at the temporary hospitality centre.

The local fishermen had heated arguments with the officials citing that they have no place to carry out repair works of boats except the slipway (dry dock) and they would not allow the place for tourism purpose. Upset with the strong opposition from the fishermen, the Minister and the officials left the fishing harbour and told mediapersons that they would take a decision after a dialogue with all the stake-holders.

The Minister earlier on Tuesday said it was the Chief Minister, who inaugurated the jetty for IFR , insisted that it should be used for tourism. He also directed the local officials that they should straight away start the work from this weekend. The Collector also convened a meeting with hotel owners for constructing a cafeteria and a full-fledged hotel immediately.

Meanwhile, the city committee of CPM warned the Chief Minister that the fishermen would resist any attempt of the government to construct star hotels at the cost of their livelihood. City secretary of the party Dr B Ganga Rao said on the directions of the Chief Minister, the CRPF personnel stopped the fishermen from going to the dry dock area of the fishing harbour during the fleet review. He said if the government was serious about carrying tourists for a ride into the sea, it can build permanent jetties at Sagarnagar, Rushikonda and Bhimili.