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Solar dry fish processing unit cries for attention
Even after three years have gone by, no steps have been taken by the authorities to renovate the solar dry fish processing unit, which was devastated by the Hudhud cyclone in 2014 at Gangavaram in Visakhapatnam district.
Visakhapatnam: Even after three years have gone by, no steps have been taken by the authorities to renovate the solar dry fish processing unit, which was devastated by the Hudhud cyclone in 2014 at Gangavaram in Visakhapatnam district.
- District Fishermen’s Youth Welfare Association executive secretary Arjilli Dasu says the authorities yet to renovate the unit, which is devastated by the Hudhud cyclone in 2014 at Gangavaram
- Fisheries Joint Director P Shankar Rao says Fisheries department has no role to play with the renovation of unit as it is run by fishermen community
In 2000, District Fishermen’s Youth Welfare Association carried out the project with the financial assistance from Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI) and Chief Minister's Empowerment of Youth (CMEY) Scheme. Planters Energy Network (PEN) offered technological support to set up solar panels at the dry fish processing unit.
“Nearly, 6,000 fishing community women from across the country received training at the solar dry fish processing unit. Taking the poor men and women of fishing community onboard, the project was aimed to explore the low-cost options to market the fish, which is highly perishable food product and can be stored only by refrigeration or drying,” said Arjilli Dasu, executive secretary of District Fishermen’s Youth Welfare Association.
As refrigeration of fish catch was costlier and power intensive, the first of its kind solar drying unit was installed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh to test the feasibility of drying the fish through use of solar energy.
“Drying of fish is far more economical than refrigeration since the fish once dried can last longer without any processing. However, refrigerated fish requires to be maintained at low temperature till consumption,” he said.
The capacity of drier was 500 kg per day and it works for seven to nine hours, reducing the moisture content of fish from around 85 per cent to 15–30 per cent depending upon the variety of fish, according to him.
However, during Hudhud cyclone along with other infrastructure in Vizag district, the solar dry fish processing unit too bore the brunt affecting the lives of 30 fisher folk women.
“As the dry fish processing unit got completely destroyed due to Hudhud cyclone, we had petitioned to Fisheries department for setting up new unit of 1,000 kg per day capacity. But it seems our plea has fallen on deaf ears,” said Arjilli Dasu.
When contacted Fisheries Joint Director P Shankar Rao said, “As the solar dry fish processing unit run by fishermen community, Fisheries department has no role to play in regard with the renovation of unit.” According to sources, as part of Hudhud relief fund, the Fisheries department has received Rs 14 crore and spent Rs 7.13 crore of it so far.
By Y Abhishek Paul
