In 1988, Nayachar was handed over to the West Bengal fisheries department and renamed Meendwip. Not much was done till 2000 when 13 fishing cooperatives were set up and 316 ponds dug and leased annually to local fisherfolk and entrepreneurs. The enterprise hasn't been too successful. Fisheries department officials say only 100 ponds are functioning. The department has asked the state for Rs 220 million to wind up the project and repay a loan it had taken from the centre. The cooperatives also engaged about 600 fisherfolk, many of whom commute via the twice-a-day ferry service from Haldia. Around 600 squatter families living there work as daily labourers, the rest catch fish in the river or in small ditches.