Bengaluru/Udupi: The state govt is considering a proposal to significantly increase the penalty imposed on illegal fishing by boats from other states within Karnataka’s maritime boundaries. The issue was discussed in a meeting of Udupi district MLAs and officials chaired by food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Rizwan Arshad here at Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday.Currently, a penalty of Rs 5,000 or five times the auction value of the caught fish is imposed on fishing boats from other states. Since the penlaty is meagre and is not deterring illegal fishing, the district administration sent a proposal to the govt seeking an upward revision of penalty, the officials told the meeting.As per the proposal, for first time offenders, a penalty of Rs 2 lakh plus five times the auction value of the catch has been proposed. For the second offence, the penalty would be Rs four lakh plus five times the auction value of the caught fish.Minister Rizwan Arshad directed officials to pursue the matter with the port and fisheries department, assuring his intervention. He stated that increasing the penalty would not only curb illegal fishing but also help protect the interests of local fishermen.He also said immediate action would be taken to resume the supply of nutritious food for 3,110 families of the Koraga and Malaikudi communities, besides ensuring the release of pending grants of Rs 1.3 crore meant for the comprehensive development of the Koraga community. “These things should be done on priority,” he told officials.He also offered to arrange a meeting with health and family welfare minister UT Khader next week, to discuss and get approval for Udupi district’s health infrastructure-related demands. They sought to upgrade Hebri community health centre into a taluk hospital, a permanent building for Govt College of Nursing in Karkala, funds for annual maintenance of Mother and Child Hospital building, and additional manpower for upgraded Udupi district hospital.He also assured the MLAs that he would organise a coordination meeting in Bengaluru once a month with secretaries of concerned departments to expedite issues concerning the Udupi district. Udupi district MLAs V Sunilkumar, Gururaj Gantihole, A Kiran Kumar Kodgi, Yashpal Suvarna and Gurme Suresh Shetty attended the meeting along with the DC, SP, ZP CEO and others.
