Villagers, MLA say project threatens fish-breeding hub; vow mass agitation
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa along with Betul Sarpanch Pritam Deulkar, Deputy Sarpanch Damascus D’Silva and panchayat members opposing the Betul port project.
MARGAO
The Betul village panchayat along with Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa on Sunday vehemently opposed the proposed Betul port by the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA), asserting the port will destroy the livelihoods of the local fishing communities, the fish breeding hub and tourism in the area.
The Quepem MLA also disclosed plans to call on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the coming week to convey the strong opposition from the Betul village panchayat, the fishing communities and the people of Quepem taluka as a whole.
The Betul panchayat sarpanch Pritam Deulkar, Deputy Sarpanch Damascus D’Silva and the Quepem MLA wondered what made the MPA revive the Betul port project when the same was shelved by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the year 2016-17.
Addressing the media, the Quepem MLA demanded to know why the government and the MPA has kept the people of Betul, the local village panchayat and the MLA in the dark over plans to revive the Betul port project. “The administration too is in the dark over the MPA’s move to float tender inviting bidders from consultants to prepare the feasibility report on the Betul port. By not taking the people into confidence, the decision is nothing but to bulldoze with the project against the wishes of the locals,” Altone said.
Saying he could not meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over the issue due to his preoccupation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Partagali Math, the Quepem MLA said he would seek an urgent appointment with the Chief Minister to clarify the government stand on the Betul port. “The port will not only destroy the fishing communities and tourism, but will destroy plans to restore the historic Betul port,” he said.
Saying he stands fully behind the people of Betul, the Quepem MLA said the problems faced by the people of Mormugao taluka due to the port operations will be experienced in Betul and the neighbouring villages.
Betul Sarpanch Pritam Deulkar said people of Betul are opposed to the proposed port, saying the identity of the village is closely connected with the sea and its resources. “Our village plays host to the traditional fishing communities, who eke a living on the fishing activities. A port at Betul will destroy the marine resources and the livelihoods of the fishermen,” the sarpanch said.
Deputy Sarpanch Damascus D’Silva recalled the movement launched by the people of Betul and the fishing communities in 2016-17, which later prompted Union Minister Nitin Gadkar to shelve the project.
“Betul is a fish breeding hub. The area is blessed with shell fish such as mussels, clams, crabs, besides fresh river fish. A port at Betul will destroy the rich environment and the livelihoods of the fishing communities. The government may promise rehabilitation, but the livelihoods of the locals will be destroyed forever,” he said.
He added: “We want a similar situation like Vasco and Mormugao at Betul with the influx of migrant. They have plans to set up berths for the Navy. This in turn may require land for the Naval people, resulting in the displacement of the locals. The pollution caused by the port will impact the locals as well as the projects such as Parul University and the ONGC,” he said, while issuing a warning to the MPA and the government that people will hit the streets to stop the Betul port project.
