MARGAO
Conveying a message loud and clear that the government means business, Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira on Saturday warned that the government will seal the cholera-hit Cutbona fishing jetty if the fishing stakeholders do not cooperate to resolve the issues of sanitation and hygiene at the jetty.
A delegation of boat owners under the Cutbona Boat Owners Federation, however, told the Minister that the boat owners will fully cooperate with the government agencies, including the private contractor shortlisted to set up portable toilets at the jetty.
Accordingly, around 30-40 mobile toilets are expected to take shape at the Cutbona jetty on Monday or Tuesday, wherein the boat owners will contribute funds for the upkeep and maintenance.
After a meeting with the boat owners, the Environment Minister told the media that he has conveyed to the boat owners that the government enjoys the powers to seal the jetty in view of the outbreak of cholera. “I mean business. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has given me the task at Cutbona jetty and I will deliver. We have just conveyed to the boat owners that the government means business. We don’t want cholera to spread at the jetty. I have told the boat owners that if they do not act and cooperate to resolve the issues of hygiene and sanitation at the jetty, we have the power to seal. Tomorrow, they should not complain over our decision,” he warned.
Sequeira also clarified to the boat owners that the government is not out to corner them with threats to pay compensation of Rs 25 lakh in case of further deaths of workers. “The Chief Minister’s intention appeared more detriment in order to put a sense in them. The fine will come only if they shirk their responsibility,” he added.
The Minister said the government has facilitated a meeting between a private firm CAM and the boat owners how to go about implementing a temporary solution to the sanitation issue. “Both have agreed on the terms and conditions on the payment for the upkeep and maintenance of the toilets,” he said, adding, “We have estimated that around 600 workers will avail the toilet facility and the cost will be fully borne by the boat owners.”
As far as the unused and old vessels is concerned, Sequeira said officials of the Captain of Ports is conducting a survey to study the condition of the vessels, including the four vessels anchored at the jetty without any registration. He further said officials of the Fisheries department are at Cutbona to stick notices for the boat owners to remove the vessels or face confiscation of the vessels.
