Port Blair, Sept. 12: Shri Vishal Jolly National Executive Member BJP & Former State President BJP-ANI in a letter to Chief Secretary, A & N Administration demanded fixing of maximum selling price of ice blocks by the Private Ice Plant owners in these A&N Islands and establishment of an Ice Plant of capacity 100 metric tons in Port Blair city to meet the future demand.
In his letter he mentioned that prior to Tsunami a Govt. Ice Plant & Cold Storage was in operation at Aberdeen Jetty and from this Ice Plant the demand of Ice Block to the Fishermen of Port Blair and South Andaman were met and provided in a subsidized/lower rate. After Tsunami this Ice Plant was damaged thus closed and thereafter the Private Ice Plants were established by private players by taking subsidy from the Fisheries Department and reportedly they are charging higher cost for the ice blocks provided to the poor Fishermen.
He added that the demand of the Ice Blocks have increased drastically due to inception of large number of Mechanised Fishing Boats from mainland and also due to increase in traditional fishing boats, because of which the local fishermen are not in a position to purchase the ice blocks to preserve their fish and fish products. The ice blocks are not available to the local fishermen/fish sellers as all the blocks in bulk are provided to the mainland mechanized fishing boats, therefore the ice blocks are not available in the local market for the local fishermen, consequently their livelihood is badly affected. Even if available, the same is available in exorbitant price due to which they suffer huge financial losses.
He also stated the Govt. Ice plant at North & Middle Andaman is charging Rs. 27.50/- per block of 55 kgs and at Little Andaman the Govt. is charging Rs. 82.5/- per 165 kg block, whereas the private ice plant owners are charging Rs.450-500 per 100 kg block (Rs.6/- per kg approx.), which is 500% more than the govt. fixed price. The rate of ice block is too high in these Islands as compared to the rates available throughout India.
The NFDB under the PMMSY & FIDF has sufficient funds available for these purposes under non-beneficiary component. It may further be noted that to preserve one kg of fish as per norms three kg of ice is to be used thus the poor fishermen have to invest Rs.18/- for ice to preserve per kilogram of fish.
There are 17 fish landing centres throughout A&N Islands and under the aforementioned scheme, there is provisions to construct 10 Metric ton of ice plant/cold storage in each fish landing centres. This will help the poor fishermen to get the ice in affordable price and right at the jetties.
It is very much essential that the maximum selling price for the ice blocks by the Private Ice Plant owners may be fixed as done in the case of supply of essential commodities, fishes etc. in these Islands, so that the price can be regulated and monopoly of the Private Plant Ice Owners can be stopped he added.
Jolly also requested that the scope of fishing in these Islands is tremendous and the demand in export of fishes has increased manifold resulting in development of these Islands, as such establishing of an Ice Plant of capacity 100 metric tons, especially Port Blair city is very much essential at this stage to meet the demand and as well as future demand. An Ice Plant under the Government Sector is very much compulsory to regulate the ice block price in these Islands.