the goan I network
VASCO
Shipping activity along the Mandovi river is expected to be hampered on Monday, with the Goa Barge Owner Association (GBOA) deciding to block the Mandovi river navigation channel with around 80 barges in support of the ‘Chalo Panaji’ protest rally and meeting by mining dependants on March 19.
This was stated by GBOA President Raymond D’Sa along with other members at a news conference in their Vasco office on Saturday.
“The GBOA will participate in the protest rally called by mining dependants and block the navigation channel of Mandovi River with around 80 working barges and stop all shipping activity, operation of casino ships, etc,” said D’Sa.
D’Sa stated that the blockade of the Mandovi navigation channel would be only for one day, adding that the next course of action would be taken at a later stage.
“Mining has stopped and despite several requests, the State government could not do anything. Hence we have taken this decision to block the Mandovi river.”
“We are also planning to meet Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari during his visit to Goa and request him to resume mining operations either by passing an ordinance or amending laws for Goa,” he added.
GBOA Secretary Sanjiv Naik said cooperative banks should provide a 30% discount on loans on par with nationalised banks.
“We had loans to the tune of Rs 363 crore, of which Rs 263 crore was with nationalised banks and Rs 100 crore was with cooperative banks. With nationalised banks offering discounts and waivers on interest, we managed to repay loans of Rs 233 crore in nationalised banks, leaving a balance of only Rs 30 crore. On the other hand, the loans are still at Rs 79 crore in cooperative banks,” said Naik while D’Sa added, “The State government should extend the OTS scheme to us, as banks have begun taking action,” said D’Sa.
Meanwhile, GBOA former president Atul Jadhav claimed that no barge owner had transported illegal ore till date.
“Without the custom boat note, no ore has been ever transported from any jetty to a ship for the last 50 years. We have got the custom boat note, exporters have given us documents to proceed for a trip, we have filed a log sheet, which is then filed with the CoP, ship and customs and only then is ore moved from the jetty to the ship,” said Jadhav, indicating that barge owners should not be made to suffer on account of the mining crisis.
