The issue of construction of a fishing jetty at Kharewaddohas been simmering for a very long time in the port city.
So when the Mormugao Port Trust filed an affidavit beforethe High Court of Bombay at Goa, opposing the proposed plan of the State governmentto construct a new world class fishing jetty at Kharewaddo instead of KatemBaina on September 10, it did not come as a big surprise.
For the last one decade the MPT has been saying thataccommodating a fishing jetty at Vasco bay would not be feasible consideringthe security aspect.
“Operating a fishing jetty close to a major port, whereinternational shipping operations take place is a grave security threat,” saidMPT Chairman P Mara Pandiyan.
The Kharewaddo jetty has been synonymous with controversies.Three agitations by fishermen in 1994, 1998 and 2008 were followed by signingof three MoUs to build a fishing jetty at Vasco near the Hindu crematorium,Kharewaddo.
The MoU seems to be a piece of paper for MPT, as MPTrejected proposal to build a jetty at Vasco due to ISPS code in 2002 forsecurity reasons and scraped the 2008 MoU claiming that it was inked at the‘gun point’ after the fishermen blocked port operation for three days.
Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, during his visit to Kharewaddofour months ago had assured the fishermen that the State government was keen tobuild the fishing jetty at the Vasco bay near the Hindu cremation, as othersites were either opposed by people or the proposal had to be dropped due tohuge cost factor.
The MPT on the other hand has suggested a differentlocation. “We have conducted a comprehensive Environment Impact Assessmentstudy for the jetty proposal at Katem-Baina. We don’t have a problem if a jettyis built at the Baina shore,” Pandiyan said.
“No one wants a jetty in their backyard. And the governmenthas given in to every protest on seven different proposed sites that wereproposed,” said Goa Fishing Boat Owner Association President, Simon Pereira.
“The way fishing jetty issue has been dragged and opposedfor the last three decades it appears that building a jetty would be a dreamfor the fishermen of Vasco,” D’Souza added.
In the absence of a jetty or dock since early 1970, trawlerswere anchored at sea at the existing berth no 10, which came into existence in1984.
Later the trawlers were pushed further towards the shore asberths at MPT began development from the seaward side towards inland After theconstruction of berth no 11 in 1991, the trawlers were cornered as they werenot provided with an alternative. Berths at Mormugao Port began developmentfrom the seaward side towards inland. It was with the construction of Berth No11 that the fishing jetty was pushed further nearer to the shore. But this toowas an ad hoc promise from MPT with no permanent place assigned for Vasco’sfishing trawlers.
After the agitations in 1994 three ramps were built foranchoring of canoes to unload fish from trawlers at the shore. Later in 2000some ramps were filled to build the 75 meter exiting jetty which is in adilapidated condition.
