After waiting for almost four years, Udupi fishermen got their new, modern and sophisticated fish market on Saturday. Pramod Madhwaraj, minister of state for fisheries, youth services and sports, inaugurated the new market worth Rs 2.60 crore. After inaugurating the market, the minister said, “It is the country’s biggest fish market for women. The new market is constructed on the land where the old fish market existed. It can accommodate 154 retail traders and 13 wholesalers. There will be four dry fish counters and three shell fish counter. It has all the facilities. Now, it is the responsibility of the women to keep the place neat and clean. There are many educational institutions in and around the market, hence, they should maintain hygiene here.” The Coastal Development Authority had chalked out a project proposal in 2012 to construct a full-fledged fish market. In the year March 2013, it got administrative approval to construct a market with cubicles for 76 traders. It proposed to construct the new market at a cost of Rs 2 crore. 90% of the fund provided by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and five per cent each to be given by the state government and the CMC. In the year 2013, it was decided that the plan will not be sufficient to accommodate the entire fisherwomen in Udupi. Hence, a new plan to accommodate 174 traders in the new building was formulated. As a result, the amount fixed was insufficient. So, the fisheries department contributed Rs 30 lakh and CMC decided to give an additional Rs 10 lakh. The total project cost was Rs 2.60 crores, said port and fisheries engineer KS Jandhale. Baby Salian, president of the Udupi Taluk Wet Fish Sellers Association, said “We are happy, we got our dream market. We waited for it for so long. The temporary fish market at Beedinagudde was too far for the fisherwomen and they had to pay an additional amount to bring their fish from Malpe fisheries harbour to the temporary market. The new market has individual 1.5ft sales cubicles with a counter and chair. We have all facilities like toilets, washrooms, changing rooms.”
2017 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.