the goan I network
MARGAO
A meeting of purse seine boat owners with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at a Cavelossim restaurant raised many an eyebrow in fisheries and political circles on Sunday, even as the Chief Minister offered his government’s support to the Blue Revolution.
While president of All Goa Purse seine Owners Association, Harshad Dhond, insisted that the meeting with the Chief Minister only deliberated on the pending issues concerning the boat owners, including the construction of the retaining wall at the mouth of river Sal
at Mobor, activist suspected that the meeting was held to discuss LED fishing with a view to legalise such fishing activities.
Dhond told The Goan that the LED fishing was not at all on the agenda of the meeting as the purse seine owners were interested in seeking support of the new Chief Minister to resolve all pending issues affecting the fishing industry.
“The purse seine owners arranged the interaction with the Chief Minister to put forth our grievances. The issue over the construction of the retaining wall at the rive Sal mouth at Mobor has been pending though the NGT has cleared all issues. We also wanted the Chief Minister to expedite the Malim jetty project since these two works were undertaken by the GSIDC when he was its Chairman,” Dhond
said.
While firmly ruling out the possibility of the meeting discussion LED issue with the aim of getting it legalized, Dhond said certain vested interests are trying to rake up a controversy over LED fishing when the issue was not touched at the meeting.
“The meeting was not a secret meeting when around 250 members had attended the same. Where’s the question of discussing the LED issue with the Chief Minister,” he countered. “I have welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of Blue Revolution, which will help the fishing communities along the coast,” he said, adding that the Chief Minister too has offered his support to the revolution in the
state.
