As the fishing season ends on May 31, marking the start of a two-month ban, questions resurface about whether authorities have accomplished what they set out to do last year following the Cutbona jetty horror of September 2024. Has the long-standing sanitation at jetties been effectively addressed?
Lest we forget, September 2024 saw a cholera fear at the renowned Cutbona jetty in South Goa, prompting authorities to run for cover. The failure to enforce discipline was as clear as daylight while officials, ministers, panchayat and boat owners kept passing the buck. The crisis was so severe it drew the attention of the Bombay High Court at Goa, which scrutinized the failure of authorities to enforce basic health standards.
It was then that the government came up with protocols announcing a slew of measures to be followed at the jetty primarily aimed at cleanliness and hygiene. Eight months later, Cutbona seemed to have made a lot of progress with a 50-seater toilet block almost ready. However, the sad reality is that some of the busiest jetties cut out a sorry picture and are still plagued by filth, open defecation, and lack of basic hygiene facilities—dangerous oversights that threaten public health.
Official directives, such as an order mandating toilets aboard vessels with over 15 or 30 crew members, have largely been ignored or diluted. Portable toilets permitted as a compromise, remain non-functional or unused in many vessels. The result? Hundreds of labourers and fishermen continue to defecate openly, with stagnant water and human waste contaminating the very waters they rely on, creating a breeding ground for waterborne diseases. Promises of upgrading infrastructure, including the construction of toilets and sanitation facilities at key jetties like Vasco, Malim, and Chapora, have yet to materialize effectively. The condition of the Chapora jetty exemplifies this neglect: rusted roofs, collapsing structures, human waste, and tourists pointing out the open defecation sites.
Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar admits that many jetties still lack basic amenities but insists tenders have been floated for repairs and upgrades during the two-month ban. This is baffling because the two-month period will be a time of heavy rainfall where construction activity will be hampered. If it could not be initiated in eight months, there is no guarantee it would start now.
The September 2024 outbreak was a wake-up call, revealing how negligence can quickly escalate into a public health emergency. The Fisheries Department issued circulars warning employers to provide soap, and safe drinking water, and report symptoms of illness promptly, but nobody has bothered to check if these measures are implemented.
The failure to act on sanitation issues is not merely administrative neglect, it borders on criminal negligence. The health risks are huge, and the threat of disease outbreaks will return if sanitation infrastructure remains unaddressed.
As the fishing boats lie idle and the workers leave for their hometowns, the authorities have a narrow window of two months to implement meaningful upgrades. Whether they seize this opportunity or continue to neglect these vital infrastructure needs will determine if our fishing community and public health can finally benefit from sustained, genuine action or if history will repeat itself once the next crisis strikes.
