MARGAO
Will the sanitation issue plaguing the Cutbona fishing jetty ever be resolved by the departments concerned and stop the risk of health hazard posed to the neighbouring residents of Cutbona?
This question has come to the fore with the departments concerned either passing the buck or just paying lip service to the burning issue. It’s now six months since the fishing season began in August, but neither the mobile toilets nor the 50-seater toilet block for the migrant crew has fallen in place anywhere near the fishing jetty.
Consider this. Earlier this month, on December 4 to be precise, Under Secretary Revenue Sudin Natu wrote a letter to the South Goa District Collector to initiate appropriate action on the question of the absence of mobile toilets at the fishing jetty.
Last month on November 17, Deputy Director (Public Health) Dr Geeta Kakodkar had dashed off a letter to the Primary Health Centre, Balli, with a plea to initiate appropriate action as per the provisions of the Goa Public Health Act over the absence of mobile toilets at the Cutbona fishing jetty.
A couple of months ago, the Director of Fisheries had written a letter to the fisheries societies and unions operating at the Cutbona fishing jetty to arrange mobile toilets, but the proposal had no takers after the mechanized vessel owners contended that the jetty falls in the jurisdiction of the Fisheries Department.
A proposal was mooted by the Fisheries Department to install bio-toilets on the fishing vessels, but it ran aground after realization dawned that the bio-toilets may not fit in the existing fleet of vehicles and may be considered only for new vessels.
Incidentally, Balli PHC Health Officer, Dr Mamata Kakodkar has now fixed an inspection of the Cutbona fishing to verify all facts relating to sanitation and take action. A pre-inspection notice has been issued by the officer to the Director of Fisheries, Velim Sarpanch, Goacan and the Velim Civic and Consumer Forum to remain present at the jetty for the inspection.
The sanitation issue at the fishing jetty has been the subject matter of debate for years now, with neither the Director of Fisheries nor the district authorities initiating action to tone up the sanitation facilities at the jetty, which is the home for around 4000 migrant crew during the peak fishing season.
Presently, a lone Sulabh toilet block located at the fisheries complex is all that is available for the migrant crew, besides two bio-toilets, leaving many to answer nature’s call in the adjoining low-lying fields, posing a health hazard to local residents.
That the authorities, including the Fisheries Director, Health authorities and others play lip service to the sanitation problem at Cutbona is evident from the fact that the proposal to build a 50-seater toilet block at the jetty is awaiting implementation for around a decade now.
Take note, not a single joint meeting of these departments has taken place to date to address the issue, indicating the indifference of the authorities to tone up sanitation amenities at the jetty.
