Balasore , September 23 ( Odisha.in) As many as 200 trawlers are illegally operating from this fishing base of Chandipur , apparently owing to faulty policy of State government.
Despite eagerness of the vessel owners and the marine officials to register the vessels, they are unable to do so , the officials express their inability as the State govt. in late eighties has earmarked a fixed number of trawlers for each base so as to keep the rational balance between the quantity of catch attributed to vessels and aquatic population .
While over the years by addition of 8 to 10 trawlers each year the optimum level was attended by mid 90 due to policy constraint they are not in the registration book of Govt. It is observed that due to such a policy, while govt. is losing revenue (registration fees), on other hand the unauthorized trawlers are deprived of all risk benefits under the insurance coverage .
Many trawler operators told Odisha.in, that not only from this base other fishing base of the State too are facing same problem resulting in loss of several lakhs of rupees from the State Exchequer.
Odisha.in