Nat’l Fish Workers Forum VC Olencio Simoes-Goa Slams Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
Nat’l Fish Workers Forum Vice Chairman Olencio Simoes-Goa Slams Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
Margao-Goa: National Fishworkers’ Forum vice chairman Olencio Simoes blast Nitin Gadkari for making baseless and mocking the people of Goa by saying that “we are against everything” and threatening to shutdown the port of Goa and fooling the people of Goa in name of tourism by developing our coastline and asking all hotels to link waterways by creating new jetties everywhere.
Stating further that in 7,500 km long coastline cannot be used for development. As our coastline is eco sensitive and therefore Coastal Regulation Zone(CRZ) was formulated to protect the eco sensitive coastline with a view to ensure” livelihood security to the fisher communities and other local communities, living in the coastal areas, to conserve and protect coastal stretches, its unique environment and its marine area and to promote development through sustainable manner based on scientific principles taking into account the dangers of natural hazards in the coastal areas, sea level rise due to global warming, does hereby restricts the setting up and expansion of any industry, operations or processes and manufacture or handling or storage or disposal of hazardous” and Nitin Gadkari statement is against the fundamental principles of the CRZ.
File Photo: Olencio Simoes speaking during a press meet in Mangaluru
Simoes said, Even after the formulation of the CRZ, 42% of the coast has already been washed away and the main cause is the unplanned ports/harbors which been build and which are also documented by National Institute of Port Management (NIPM). An example of such a situation is the Pondicherry harbor which build a new deep-water port due to this the town’s beautiful sand beach disappeared and the fishing villages got destroyed. All this was due to unplanned expansion of port and dredging.
Olencio stated about 20% of the 105 km of Goa’s coastline has already been affected by erosion, the Colvale area in North Goa and River Talpona in South Goa is already been affected and every monsoon we witness massive erosion all over 105 km coastline of Goa and if additional unsustainable development is continued then very soon Goa will be without coastline and due to this tourism will be doomed.
Nitin Gadkari-Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation in the Government of India.
Simoes stated that if Nitin Gadkari has stated that during the current financial year Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has loss of Rs 25 crore, If Nitin Gadkari is so bothered of losses then why he is not recovering and taking action on port authorities and South West Port Ltd (SWPL), as 6million tonne illegal coal has been transported and handled at South West Port Ltd (SWPL) by Jindal at MPT without consent to operate, due this illegality MPT and State has lost 500cr revenue.
Olencio stated that 120 out of 187 Panchayats which is grass root of our democracy has passed resolution in Goa and has clearly said that people of Goa is against Coal or any form of coal expansion at MPT and are against nationalization of Rivers. Olencio also said that Nitin Gadkari is fooling the people Goa in the name of development. As in the name of Sagarmala government is investing Rs 15,000 crores for building infrastructure for waterways by nationalizing 6 rivers ,building double railway track, building 4 lane road etc only for private players who have taken over Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) and which will benefit only Jindal and Adani and not people of Goa, As MPT has already layoff almost 50% of its employees by forcing them to take voluntary retirement.
Olencio stated further that People and fisherman of Goa is not against development but all that we are asking is to shift hazardous cargo to non pollution cargo, as recently Goa pollution board report has stated that coal pollution is worse form of pollution and due to this 5 lakh people are suffering due to polluted air, who are living in the close proximity of the port. Therefore we demand that the state government to withdraw such expansion and de-notify our 6 rivers at earliest failing which we will be forced to hit the streets.
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