The Hindu (Tamil Nadu) ·
Lack of cleanliness and hygiene keep exporters away from Kasimedu fishing harbour
Kasimedu fishing harbour struggles with hygiene issues, deterring exporters and impacting fish prices, despite calls for improvement.
Fish exports from Kasimedu fishing harbour comprise a rather dismal quantity of the whole. The reason? The harbour scores sub-zero when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness. Recently, a video showing maggots on blood near the fish cutting line was doing the rounds on social media.
“If the waste blood from cut fish is not removed quickly, maggots form. There are no proper drains to carry and treat such liquid wastes,” said a fisherman. Harbour users have been complaining about lack of maintenance inside the vast campus. “We are forced to sell our catch at lower prices than even Cuddalore or Nagapattinam due to lack of cleanliness. The water is black and the harbour has not been dredged in ages. We wash the fish in the same water,” pointed out a fisherman.
A boat owner said that fish wastes from markets in the city are being brought to Kasimedu where they are processed and sent to companies for use in the cosmetic industry. “The waste raises such a stink that just crossing the location leaves the stench on our clothes. Though complaints have been filed with the local police, the Chennai Port’s harbour management committee and fisheries AD, no action has been initiated against these people,” said a fisherman.
