Paradip Port Trust (PPT) Chairman Rinkesh Roy, addressing the Press on Monday, reiterated the successful completion of dredging operations at the Mahanadi river mouth. The work in the navigational channel having 1-km length and 100-meter width carried out by the Dredging Corporation of India was completed on February 26 this year.
He appealed to local fishermen to use the designated channel and not to use any shortcut while venturing into the sea. The PPT marine department has already installed four temporary buoys in the channel with proper marking, which is clearly visible, Roy informed.
To impart training to the fishermen, the PPT Seior Hydrographic Surveyor would conduct a programme regarding GPS coordination with proper latitude and longitude. Roy cautioned that fishing trawlers not following the designated channel would be at risk of stranding.
Notably, an Integrated Fishery Harbour is operational at Paradip located in the Mahanadi right bank, for which maintenance dredging is required in regular intervals. The harbour is presently managed by the State Fisheries Department. The local fishing community has been facing difficulties as the river mouth has been silted up over the years and the fishing vessels face hindrance to navigate during approach/exit from the harbour. The river mouth was last dredged almost 20 years back.
On the steps undertaken by the PPT to prevent any possible outbreak of COVID-19 in the locality, Roy said the ships coming to the port from the countries, where there is reporting of maximum outbreak of corona virus are subjected to quarantine of mandatory 14 days in the anchorage area and the Master of Vessel sends the health status of its crew members twice a day to the designated medical team of PPT. After quarantine period, the Port Health Officer or the Chief Medical Officer, PPT boards and screens the crew and if everything is alright then the ship is allowed to undertake cargo operations. As the Limited Pratique is in place, no shore leaving permission is given to the crew.
In case of Indian crew, if there is any essential requirement then he is subjected to medical screening and thermal scanning. Disposal of waste or faecal matter from the ships berthing locally is not permitted.
Cautioning about hard summer days ahead, Roy appealed to the inhabitants of township to cope up with one-time water supply very soon. Repair work of the Taladanda Canal would begin in Cuttack and continue till May 31. Hence, the port administration is trying to revive the water intake point at Choudhurygada and draw maximum possible water in next few days. The reservoirs of PPT can meet the water demand for 30-35 days with one-time supply; otherwise the capacity is for 17-20 days.