Udupi, (The Hindu): Pramod Madhwaraj, Minister for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, said on Tuesday that the Union government’s decision to reduce kerosene quota to the State was responsible for traditional boat fishermen not getting kerosene for their boats.

Addressing presspersons here after inaugurating the Indira canteen in Manipal, Mr. Madhwaraj said that the Union government wanted to promote “zero kerosene” use. Hence, the kerosene quota had been reduced. This had made it difficult for the Department of Food and Civil Supplies to get kerosene from the open market and provide subsidised kerosene to traditional fishermen.

Despite this, the State government had decided to get kerosene from the open market for the sake of fishermen. Such kerosene would have to be stored in kerosene bunks and its operation would have to be handed over to the fishermen’s cooperative societies. However, till this arrangement came into force, the State government had decided to continue supplying kerosene to fishermen as was being done till now. It would be better if the Union government came up with new system to provide kerosene to the fishermen, he said.

Asked about the complaints by Udupi District Sand Extraction Boat Employees’ Association that they were being needlessly targeted over malfunctioning and non-functioning of GPS instruments installed on their boats by officers, Mr. Madhwaraj said that the district administration had to follow the orders of the court and environmental laws with regard to sand extraction. “Hence, we are strict about it. But this upsets some people,” he said.

The Indira canteen inaugurated near Syndicate Circle in Manipal will start operating in a week, while the one being constructed at Old Taluk Office premises here was likely to take a fortnight to start operations, Mr. Madhwaraj said.