the goan I network
MARGAO
Considering skyrocketing prices and shortage of fish in Goa, GPCC President Girish Chodankar has urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to issue directions to the Directorate of Fisheries and authorities concerned to ensure that those availing subsidies from the Government of Goa should stop exporting and selling fish outside the State immediately.
Chodankar further said nearly 40-45 per cent of Goan fish catch is exported every year and Goans are left to consume leftover fish at very high prices. “If our money is used for subsidies we should get first preference to choose from fresh fish,” he said.
Chodankar said the Government should also keep the fish markets open by enforcing social distancing and hygiene instead of letting fly-by-night traders fleece the public.
“Fishing industry in Goa nets nearly one lakh tonnes of fish annually. Surprisingly, Goans have been deprived of quality and affordable fish despite Government giving subsidies on fuel, nets, insulated boxes, etc to the tune of Rs 108 crore annually,” he added, while demanding that the government has to also study and act on the declining fish catch in Goa and assist the industry to overcome this problem.
The GPCC chief has also urged the CM to direct the health officials to safety kits to the staff employed on 30 ferry boats in operation across Goa. These employees are exposed to hundreds of passengers every day, he said.
He expressed his happiness that most of the newly imported ministers and MLAs have woken up from their slumber after Congress party leaders sent data to Prime Minister on stranded seafarers and are now trying to send messages to people on social media.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday said that skyrocketing prices of fish sold at various street corners and houses of some MLAs or political leaders go to show that even a harsh lockdown is being used to squeeze the common man who is already reeling under its impact.
Raising questions about the conduct of the government that had yielded to the lobby of fish agents in the state, AAP leader Ramiro Mascarenhas said that while the markets were shown as closed, fish was reportedly being sold along the new bypass highway not far from the wholesale markets at Margao by the same lobby of fish agents without any fear of lockdown or the norms of social distancing.
“As it is, the common man’s income has dried up. Yet something as staple as fish is kept out of his reach by a corrupt system that ignores lockdown rules for unjust enrichment of a few who take care of the powers that be. Even a kilo of mackerel sells for Rs 800. This is the fate of the common man,” said Ramiro, adding that even vegetables were beyond the buying power of the poor.
Ramiro also raised questions about the decision of the government to grant Rs 6000 to around 11000 labourers. What is the source of the data that was used for making these people eligible for the grant? he questioned further.
He said that large number of Goan daily-wage earners such as pilots, rickshaw and taxi drivers, head-load carriers called ‘Badels’, as well farm workers, were totally ignored in the process of selection. Ramiro also said that allowing panchayats to spend Rs 25000 showed that the government had lost its touch with ground realities
