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Oluvil fisheries harbour to close down

25 April 2017 08:40 am - 16     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Fishing activities at the Oluvil harbour in Ampara is to be halted as the government is unable to bear the cost of maintenance, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and ministry officials had discussed the function of the harbour after it was revealed that it did not make sufficient funds to cover its expenses.

“The harbour is a white elephant that we cannot take care of it,” the minister said.

The Oluvil harbour, a commercial fishery harbour, was declared open on September 2013. Construction of the harbour commenced in 2008 under the Nagenahira Navodaya programme.

Meanwhile, the ministry official said that proper environmental assessment and feasibility was not conducted when construction began.

While the harbour was constructed to hold more than 250 fishing boats, all boats are anchored outside the harbour as it was dangerous to enter the harbour.

“There is a large sand deposit at the mouth of the harbour. There is at least 40 million cubic metres of sand deposited in the area for which the ministry has to bear around Rs. 350 million to remove the sand only to have it collect again in two months or so,” ministry spokesman Dharma Wanninayake said.

The Ministry has scheduled a discussion with the Ports Authority, Fisheries Harbour Corporation and Coast Conservation Department about its closure as there was no benefit in leaving the harbour open.

Minister Amaraweera is scheduled to speak to the government regarding the closure of the harbour.

The harbour was also to be transferred to the Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation recently from the Ports and Shipping Ministry. However, the process was cancelled after the decision to shut down fishing activities.(Darshana Sanjeewa)


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  Comments - 16

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  • Sailor Tuesday, 25 April 2017 09:11 AM

    Another one down the drain !!

    Pradeep Tuesday, 25 April 2017 09:21 AM

    The bitter truth of so called development

    alex Tuesday, 25 April 2017 09:25 AM

    another opportunity for the Chinese to invest in with no clear returns

    Lal Tuesday, 25 April 2017 09:36 AM

    Rajapaksas think that development is to randomly build useless things

    BuffaloaCitizen Tuesday, 25 April 2017 09:55 AM

    How many more white elephants are to be revealed? Isn't their any end to this continuous rape of public resources by the leaders of this country?

    mohamed Tuesday, 25 April 2017 10:07 AM

    sure some one is eyeing for a development

    RDF Tuesday, 25 April 2017 10:24 AM

    Our parliament is a white elephant, but don't we maintain that!

    adneymims Tuesday, 25 April 2017 11:20 AM

    If later M.H.M Ashraff alive this Harbour Story will be different. All these moves indicate that we don't have a capable leader to guide these poor people of the area.

    Sumal Tuesday, 25 April 2017 03:55 PM

    Good move. This will definitely satisfy Oluvil people. They suffered a lot regarding this Rajapaksa white elephant.

    Kamal Tuesday, 25 April 2017 04:03 PM

    Late Mr. Ashraff wanted to develop this harbour to handle larger vessels. He was opposed even for Hambanthota port those days because his intention was to develop the Oluvil harbour. That was in Chadrika's era.Now this Weda beri government cant manage the fishing harbour of Oluvil, so obviously, they cant manage the Colombo, Trinco, Galle and Hambanthota ports as well. So the best option they have is selling one buy one.

    lkboy Tuesday, 25 April 2017 04:07 PM

    This harbor was a political development. Not a feasible need.

    ceylon Tuesday, 25 April 2017 06:59 PM

    good pinkama.billions of fish saved their lives. via DM Android App

    ReaderD Tuesday, 25 April 2017 08:54 PM

    Decision to close down Fisheries Harbour is high cost of maintenance arising from excessive sand accumulation at harbour entrance. Was this not shown in the technical study by the local coastal engineering consultancy company who conducted that study.

    Jey Tuesday, 25 April 2017 10:56 PM

    Oh..somebody is trying to take sand... via DM Android App

    VS Wednesday, 26 April 2017 06:55 AM

    Hold tight, your logical leaps are too astounding for this world

    Ques Wednesday, 26 April 2017 05:45 PM

    Do the fishermen in that region want this harbour. If they want only some action need be taken to recommission it. General view seem as not wanted. Then Fisheries Minister is correct.


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