Karwar: Fishermen staged a protest at Belekeri port here on Thursday demanding that the Port and Inland Water Transport Department take immediate action to de-silt the estuary at the port.

They said the port is filled with mud from last few years. The department had floated a tender to desilt it last year and the tender was awarded to a Mumbai-based company for Rs 3 crore. The company had committed to commence the de-silting work in six months, but even after a year, the work has not been started, they alleged.

The fishermen alleged that after bagging the tender, the Mumbai based company had forgot about the work, thereby it has cheated the government and fishermen.

The company has made away with crores of rupees, but officials have become mute spectators, they charged. “We go for fishing during high tide and our boats get struck in silt during low tide. Because of this, the boats are getting damaged. Even after many pleas, the officials have not taken action to de-silt the port. They are neglecting our problems,” they said.

Fishermen anchored their boats at the port and staged a protest accusing the officials of negligence of their duty. Manjegouda, assistant director of port, assured them of taking action to de-silt the port after discussing the issue with higher-ups