Fishermen feel the money could have been utilised for enhancing the livelihood of fishermen in a better way. The government could have used it to provide necessary fishing equipment and safety gadget for the fishermen. Two projects — an ice plant and Effluent Treatment Plant — set up at Thengaithittu remain unused for years even after completion of work. Both the projects were taken up almost 10 years ago by the Project Implementation Agency as an effort to enhance the livelihood means of fishermen.
The ice plant was constructed by PIA under Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project at a cost of around ₹5.5 crore. The production capacity of the plant was projected at 50 tonnes per day. After completion of work, the plant was handed over to the Fisheries Department in 2015.
“The department once tried to operate the plant but the production could not be commenced due to technical issues. After that the plant remains idle,” Kadhirvan, a fisherman belonging to Veerampattinam hamlet said. According to an official, the operations were shut after leakage of ammonia gas and low load in suction plant. The plant was never operated after 2017, said the official.
The ETP was constructed by PIA under Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction Project at a cost of around ₹ 3.5 crore. The plant was to treat the sullage generated at the fish auction halls at the Thengaithittu harbour. Though the work was completed, the plant could not be operated as there was non-availability of minimum required sullage to operate the plant, sources said. The plant was constructed to treat around one million litres per day but the availability of sullage was only around 2,000 litres per day. The ETP has been idle for almost three years now, said an official.
“The money could have been utilised for enhancing the livelihood of fishermen in a better way. The government could have used the amount to provide necessary fishing equipment and safety gadget for the fishermen,” said Elango, another fisherman from Vaithikuppam.
The CAG in its 2020 report has categorised the amount incurred for both the projects under the head of “unfruitful expenditure.“ When contacted Director of Fisheries D. Balaji said steps have been taken to utilise the facilities at the earliest. “The government has initiated certain measures to restart both the projects. In two to three months, the ETP will be made functional,” he said.