Karwar: The construction of breakwater by Karwar port near Children play park in the city was opposed by the City Municipal Council (CMC) and Karwar Development Authority (KDA) .

The CMC has convened a special general body meeting next week to discuss the matter. For the second phase of development of Karwar port, the departments of Public Works and Ports and Inland Water Transport had chalked out plans and sent a proposal of Rs 125 crore to the state government for construction of 820-mtr north breakwater on the Ravindranath Tagore beach in the city. Based on the proposal, the government earmarked necessary fund in its 2017-18 annual budget.

Recently, the Karwar port had floated a tender for the project and now, the Karwar CMC and KDA are up in arms against it.

KDA chairman Sandeep Talekar said,  “If the port constructs a breakwater near children’s park of the beach, the people will be barred from entering that section. Thousands of acres of land and several beaches have already been handed over to the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Karwar Port for various development works. Now, only Ravindranath Tagore beach is left for the people of Karwar. If the port constructs a breakwater, the people will lose that too. Before chalking out plan for construction of breakwater, the port authority should have informed the CMC and KDA about its plan".

“We are not opposing the development of the port. We are demanding construction of the same in north breakwater --from London bridge-- and not from children’s park. If they construct breakwater near children’s park, the port area will be extended to the park.

While loading and unloading goods, including mining products, the dust will affect the residents of the city,” Talekar said. CMC commissioner S Yogeshwar said there is a plan for convening a special general body meeting based on the demand of counsellors. It is said that during the meet, the CMC is likely to pass a resolution opposing construction of breakwater. When contacted, the port officials said they have not received any communication from the CMD regarding their opposition to construction of breakwater. Once any objection is received, they will think over it, they added.