MARGAO
With the traditional fishermen opposing desilting of the sand bar at the mouth of river Sal and the prevailing conditions not conducive for dredging at the river mouth, beleaguered boat owners now pin their hopes on nature to clear the sand bar and pave way for the smooth navigation for the fishing vessels operating from Cutbona jetty.
Most of the fishing vessels are presently anchored in the river Sal near the Cutbona fishing jetty in view of the rough conditions in the sea. Boat owners, however, are hoping against hope that the rough sea conditions will clear the sand bar formed inside the river near the mouth.
Velim MLA Cruz Silva echoed similar sentiments and pinned hopes on the rough sea conditions to clear the sand bar.
“In the past, sand bars formed inside the river near the mouth had disappeared because of the strong water currents. We now hope for nature to do its work and clear the sand bar,” Cruz said.
The Velim MLA said though the Captain of Ports was willing to rope in an agency to remove the sand bar through suction, the same could not be carried out as the agency maintained the strong water current does not permit installing the machinery at the site.
