the goan I network
VASCO
A delegation of fishing bodies and other associations met Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders at the Cidade de Goa in Dona Paula and submitted a 24-point demand regarding issues confronting the fishing community.
The delegation comprised Olencio Simoes (Vice Chairperson of National Fishworkers Forum), Agnelo Rodrigues (President of Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott), Camilo D’Souza (Vice President GRE), Sajid Shaikh (General Secretary of Baina Ramponkar and fishing Canoe Owners Association), Custodio D’Souza (Convenor of Goa Against Coal), Henrique D’Mello (Velsao-Pale-Issorcim sarpanch) and Vasant Gopi Naik (former sarpanch) met Gandhi in the presence of GPCC President Girish Chodankar, Dr Chellakumar (Goa desk in-charge), Navelim MLA and AICC General Secretary Luizinho Faleiro and Opposition Leader Babu Kavlekar.
The GRE, a federation of the traditional fishing community which represents about 80,000 small and traditional fisherfolk, submitted a 24-point demand to Gandhi and he is reported to have assured them that all issues will be addressed and that a separate ministry for fisheries and fishermen’s welfare would be formed to address all demands from Goa and across the country, if the Congress comes to power.
“A list of demands was also handed over to BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi and whoever supports the cause of fishermen and adds our issues in their manifesto will receive our support for the upcoming elections,” said Simoes.
Among the various demands include scrapping the CRZ notification 2019, de-notification of six rivers of Goa from the Inland Waterways Act 2016, de-notification of MPT’s jurisdiction over inland and coastal waters and land, a separate ministry for fisheries and fishermen welfare, a ban on all destructive fishing methods and fishing gear, extension of the fishing ban from 61 to 90 days and cold and dry storage facilities for all fish markets across the State for traditional fishermen.
