Port Blair, Sep 12: Mr. Vishal Jolly, National Executive Member, BJP & Former State President, BJP, A&N Islands in a letter to Chief Secretary, A&N Administration demanded fixing of the maximum selling price of ice blocks by the Private Ice Plant owners in 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 mentions that before Tsunami a Govt. Ice Plant & Cold Storage was in operation at Aberdeen Jetty and from this Ice Plant, the demand for Ice Block to the Fishermen of Port Blair and South Andaman were met and provided at a subsidized/lower rate. After Tsunami this Ice Plant was damaged and thus closed thereafter the Private Ice Plants were established by private players by taking subsidies from the Fisheries Department and reportedly, they are charging a higher cost for the ice blocks provided to the poor Fishermen.
Further, he added that the demand for the Ice Blocks has increased drastically due to the sudden inception of a large number of Mechanised Fishing Boats from the mainland and also due to an 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, and consequently, their livelihood is badly affected. Wherever the same is available, the same is available at an 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 the non-beneficiary component. It may further be noted that to preserve one kg of fish as per norms he has to use three kg of ice thus the poor fishermen have to invest Rs.18/- for ice to preserve per kilogram of fish.
Furthermore, we have 17 fish landing centres throughout A & N Islands and under the aforementioned scheme, there are provisions to construct 10 Metric tons of ice plant/cold storage in each fish landing centre. This will help the poor fishermen to get the ice at an affordable price and right at the jetties.
Accordingly, 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 a supply of essential commodities, fish, etc. in these Islands so that the price can be regulated and monopoly of the Private Plant Ice Owners can be stopped he added.
Further, Mr. Jolly also requested that the scope of fishing in these islands is tremendous and the demand for export of fishes has increased manifold resulting in the development of these Islands, as such establishing of an Ice Plant with of capacity of 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.
