MARGAO
Is the Goa government open in conceding the demand of Benaulim traditional fishermen to hand over a portion of the property housing the defunct Benaulim prawn hatchery to meet the needs and requirements of the fishing communities?
When a delegation of fishermen under the banner of Niz Ramponkarancho Ekvott called on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to oppose the proposed plan to increase water sports zones along the Salcete beach belt, fisherman Pele Fernandes raised the issue of the cold shoulder by the Fisheries Department to the long-standing demand of the Benaulim fishermen to hand over a portion of the hatchery land for the local fishermen.
“When we raised the issue of the Benaulim prawn hatchery, the Chief Minister has promised that the government would consider the demand of the traditional fishing communities to hand over land admeasuring 5,000 sq mtrs of the defunct prawn hatchery for the fishermen,” Pele said.
While thanking the Chief Minister for the assurance, Pele has hoped that the Chief Minister’s promise is translated into action by the Fisheries Department at the earliest.
“The fishermen had staked claim on land admeasuring 5,000 sq mtrs at the defunct prawn hatchers to anchor traditional fishing boats during the monsoons and to set up cold storage facility and fish mending net. We had staked claim on the land since the government had drawn up plans to give the prime beach facing land admeasuring 5,000 sq mtrs to private players,” Pele added.
