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Dried-fish making centre dries up even before it starts
View(s):It’s a waste of Rs 6 mn spent on project, say fishermen
By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
A Rs six million worth dried fish-making centre has been idling for months since it was declared open, fishermen of Kandakuliya, Puttalam complained.
They said that the Saubhagya Development Bureau of Kalpitiya Divisional Secretariat started building the manufacturing centre last year for 20 people to engage in this trade. However, since the opening of the centre in February this year, no work has started.
The fishermen said a proper feasibility study had not been done by authorities before opening the centre.
The villagers said the issue of how the centre will obtain the necessary fish had not been thought through by the authorities. They added that the village fishermen’s catch always fell short and they were unable to provide fish to produce dried fish.
The project’s conditions also prohibits getting fish from outside the area.
They also said the centre lacked infrastructure such as, electricity, water and a storage room.
A fisherman from the area Alexander Fernando said the project was a waste of money.
“The fish caught by our villagers are not enough for the dried-fish manufacturing center. This has been done without a proper plan in place,” he said.
However Niliyan Rasika who was in charge of the project said the project had not been abandoned but had faced setbacks as COVID-19 affected the fishing industry..
“However, when the situation becomes favourable we plan to start the dried fish center,” she said.
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