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Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo and Housing Board Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar were also present at the meeting.
According to a press release, Simoes apprised the fisheries minister with long pending issues like regularization of fishermen houses in CRZ, formation of district level committees, notification of fishing villages, protection of turtle nesting beaches like Mandrem, Morjim, Galgibaga and Agonda and regularization of 68 fishermen houses at Baina.
Simoes reiterated fishermen’s demand to scrap unsustainable dredging of inland waterways in six rivers of Goa, that is River Mandovi, Zuari, Chapora, Mapusa, Cumbharjua and Sal, as 47 fishing villages and several thousand fishermen and their families dependent on river for their livelihood are likely to be effected.
He also highlighted that dredging for deepening of navigational channel proposed by Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) should be scrapped and demanded de-notification of MPT jurisdiction over inland and coastal areas (water) as Mormugao Port Trust had claiming jurisdiction of 52 kms of coastline.
GRE president Agnelo Rodrigues, while welcoming the fisheries minister’s move in cracking illegal LED lights, demanded strong action against all those boat owners using LED lights just for short-term gains by over exploiting the natural resources of Goa.
