MARGAO
The government on Wednesday promised to prepare the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the construction of the training wall at the mouth of River Sal within the next six months.
This assurance was handed by Fisheries Minister Nilkhant Halarnkar to a delegation led by Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, Velim MLA Cruz Silva along with representatives of Cutbona-based fishing associations.
The burning issue of construction of the training wall has been hanging fire for around half a decade now. The project was mooted by the traditional fishermen as well as by the mechanized boat owners operating from the Cutbona jetty to ensure a safe navigation channel at the river Sal mouth.
During discussions, however, the delegation realised that though the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had called for the preparation of the EIA before taking a decision on the execution of the report, the EIA report is still not prepared by the Fisheries Department.
Velim MLA Cruz Silva informed that fisheries officials contended that the department had roped in a Chennai-based consultant to submit the observations on the training wall before an EIA study is conducted on the project.
“We have now been told that the consultant is presently in Germany and is expected to return home after two months,” he said.
Cruz, however, said that the Fisheries Minister has now promised that work on the EIA will be completed within the next six months before the tender is floated for the construction of the training wall.
"The Fisheries Minister has said there’s no issue over the question of funds. He has assured to spend funds on the construction of the training wall,” he said, adding that he along with his Benaulim counterpart will follow up with the government on the early completion of the EIA.
The Velim MLA pointed out that he has also taken up with the Minister the question of the bad condition of the Cutbona jetty road.
The Minister has pointed out that the file which was stuck up at the Finance department, has now been cleared, he said, adding that plans are afoot to repair the road before monsoons.
Cruz pointed out that he has also taken up with the Fisheries Minister the issue of sanitation at the Cutbona jetty, saying the promised 50-seater toilet block is yet to see the light of day.
Traditional fishermen as well as the mechanized boat owners operating from the Cutbona fishing jetty have been demanding the construction of the training wall to do away with the hostile navigation issues plaguing the fishing boats at the mouth of the river Sal.
