West Bengal Fisheries Corporation Limited

The citizenry of West Bengal or particularly the Bengalis at large have an indomitable passion to have any kind of delicacies prepared with fish. There will be a sudden spur on their appetite and gastro-intestinal hormones simply while huddling together to find out the nitty-gritties of preparing any mouth–watering delectable fish recipes. It would be hard to detect any market in West Bengal even in the remotest and underdeveloped regions where fish trade is not being done. Bengalis culinary include both fresh water and sea fishes for centuries and that continued with equanimity despite the turbulences in its socio- economic order. Fresh water fishes that are being supplied to the markets of West Bengal not only come from the local ponds, tanks, rivers, Gangetic estuary but also from neighbouring states. The marine fishes too have a huge demand for both the domestic as well as international market. There a few marine fish auction centres in close proximity with the West Bengal’s coastline and amongst them Mohona located at Digha is known for its large consignments of exotic collections that are being traded at premium prices.

 

Even before the dawn embellishes the horizon of Mohona - its bustling with a flurry of activities as the small motorized boats started queuing up along the shore with their catches that are being loaded onto them by the trawlers. A sizeable number of fish-laden trawlers usually dump their catches at Shankarpur but due to inadequate infrastructural facilities and inaccessible markets the entire catch is ferried to Mohona. But at present Mohona where the bulk of the marine fishes are auctioned and traded is deprived of ice- plants, fish processing units and fish drying mechanisms. The entire state of affairs at Mohona is shoddy and projects a bleak picture in terms of hygiene and sanitation and in the process it is jeopardizing the long term interests of those innumerable people who are eking out their living by trolling the Bay of Bengal.

The existing set up at Mohona consists of unsanitary thatched sheds with open platforms without any proper drainage, sewerage and treatment of waste water or disposal of solid waste mechanism. With the efflux of time auction has increased many fold in conjunction with the exports. Exporting of marine fishes fetches foreign exchange-a small contribution in making the country’s balance of payments favourable. However the marine fish exporting agencies are being accosted with the problem whether their exported products are in compliance with Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) standard or not. This kind of certification requires an overhauling of the entire system in a planned and structured manner modulated with scientific interventions and this is where the efficacy of ICZM Project turned out to be crucial for adopting a holistic approach.

The ICZM Project which intends especially to improve the livelihood of the local fisherpersons proposes to construct a fish auction centre and an ice-plant which will in a way enable benchmarking of the fish products at par with international standards at Mohona.

West Bengal Fisheries Corporation Limited (WBFCL) a wholly owned Government company under the Department of Fisheries, Government of West Bengal has been entrusted with the responsibilities for planning, designing and executing the construction of fish auction centre and Ice-Plant at Mohana, Digha. WBFCL has been working for years for the development of fisheries in its entirety through scientific interventions. The total cost of the activity will not exceed `681 lakhs. The upcoming facility will be a modern and eco-friendly capacity complaint which will adhere to all the public health norms.

A critical analysis from the perspective of socio-economic parameters it can be stated that the upcoming facility will generate employment of about 200 jobs who can be engaged in Ice plant/Cold Storage and other utility services. Moreover during bumper catch, the price of catch slides as there is neither any control over the catch of fishes nor over the market dynamics. Hence to regulate and stabilize the market volatilities especially from speculative tendencies the construction of the cold storage of 100 MT capacities and flake ice plant are required for keeping the extra catch and to avoid deterioration of fish during transit respectively. Provisions will be there in the auction centre where a few number of fisherwomen and traditional fishermen could continue their teensy-weensy commercial activities.

The proposed project component will include the development of infrastructural facilities at Mohona which includes the following:-       

Auction Hall

One auction hall having 104 Nos. of auction place proposed on the raised platform inside a covered space. All existing auction places in the makeshift fish market will be accommodated in to new auction hall. Two auction places will be reserved for fisherwomen and traditional fishermen. Proposed covered area of the auction centre is 93 m.X85 m. which should be free from mosquitoes & flies. Doors will be provided with air curtain and windows are provided with fly proof net. Fish will be auctioned on the raised platform surfaced with washable stone. Walls will be provided with glaze titles. Arrangement of spot lights will be there for the purpose of illumination.

Drainage

The drainage system will be overhauled. The pipe underneath the covered drain will discharge at effluent treatment plant. Proper lateral connections with PVC pipes connected at pits have been proposed to be laid in order to facilitate the linking and clearing of the drains.

Internal Road

Concrete paved wide carriage way will be built in between cluster of two pairs of auction places. Another minor carriage way will also be constructed connected with emergency exit points.

Box Washing Room  

One Box washing room with suitable washing system and disinfectants have been considered. This room has been arranged outside the auction hall.

Public Change Room

One Public change room has been provided in between two entrances so that the room can be used by the persons entering from both the entrances. Persons connected with the fish handling at the auction centre will change their dresses, hand gloves, foot gloves before engaging themselves in their daily chore of fish handling. After the work the same will be deposited and used items will be disinfected in the autoclave that will be placed in the room.

Feet Washing Place

At the downstream side of every entry points one foot washing cum disinfecting sink containing chlorinated water circulated by a pump will be constructed. The disinfecting sink will have appropriate provisions for drainage, treatment and disposal of waste water.

Public Utility

One toilet with bathing place will be erected. The sanitary waste will be disposed through septic tank and soak pit. Bathing water will be discharged through effluent treatment plant.

Electrification and lightening

Main electrical line will be connected with the present source of supply. Poles at 9 m. intervals will be installed with two mercury lamps for amplifying the existing lightening facilities. Provision has also been made for exhaust fans for the purpose of aeration and ventilation.

Emergency exit points and Fire extinguishers

Emergency exit points will be there at 12 m. intervals along the cross section of the auction hall. Fire extinguishers will be place at critical junction points in order to contain any fire conflagrate due to electrical short circuit or from inflammable or combustible materials used by the fishermen.

Waste Water Management

Waste water from the project area will be mainly washout from fishes and bathing water waste from the change room or toilets. So, water is first proposed to be treated in a bio-pond and same will be discharged after filtration and chlorination.

Cold Storage and Flake Ice Plant

A combined flake ice plant and one cold storage will be established under the same roof to optimize the operating cost. During excessive production of fish catch coupled with lean domestic demand and inadequate export linkages fishermen find no other alternative but to go for distress sale of their catches. To address this issue of distress sale, one cold storage of 100 MT. capacities has been considered to be built at Mohona. Another 20 MT. Flake ice plant will be constructed for easy handling of ice for making crate and to prevent loss of heat during crushing and using.

Connecting Road

A concrete road for carriage way for entry and exit will be constructed to connect Digha Mohana Road with the Auction Centre. This road will lead through an open field and the entire field will be enshrouded with grass to minimize the effect of dust pollution.

Quality Control laboratory

Quality control of the marine fish catch will be done in a laboratory which will be constructed inside the auction centre. The testing equipment will be provided by the Fisheries Department through their budgetary provisions. The Fishery Scientists will man the quality control laboratory for testing the quality of the marine fish catch landing at the centre. The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India will be the third party for quality checks of the end products.

Economic & Financial Analysis

The projected internal rate of return has been estimated to be 17% after taking into consideration the cash inflow and outflow in a financial year. The projected Expenditure Statement has been prepared on the basis of the expenditures that are being incurred now by the existing functional fishing harbours.

O & M Planning

The operation and maintenance of the ice plant and cold storage will be out sourced to reputed concerns on the basis of their proven track record in different fishing harbours of the State. Necessary interventions will be there for rodent control, vermin control and insect control. Storage and Slum services will also be out sourced to local agencies. Electrician and Pump Operator with Helpers will be provided by the WBFCL for day to day operation and maintenance of the centre. The existing manpower that is available at Shankarpur Fishing Harbour at Shankarpur will support the assets management and accounting of revenue and expenditure at the centre. The tariffs and revenue will be earned up as per the scheduled plan of action detailed in the financial analysis of this project component. Subsidies in the form of manpower and equipment will be given by the Fisheries Department at quality control laboratory.

Service Level Monitoring

Presently about 283 MT. of fish are unloaded at the existing auction centre. It is expected that at least 10% of the quality will be increased by minimizing losses in handling of fish in a somewhat messy and unhygienic manner at the present auction centre. The activities at the newly constructed ice –plant and the auction centre will be monitored daily by the officers of the West Bengal Fisheries Corporation Ltd.