Aliya Abreu
PANAJI
To everyone else the challenge posed by the grounding of the 2500 metric tonnes of naphta-loaded tanker some 800 metres off Dona Paula is a problem of the State. But to the 100-odd fishers of Marivel, it was a crisis which denied them their ‘right to work’ and earn their daily bread. Wednesday was the first time in close to a week that the fishers of the Marivel hamlet were permitted to go out to sea and cast their nets.
Ever since the MT Nu-Shi Nalini got grounded close to their homes, the North Goa Collector prohibited the fishers from venturing out into the sea, they said.
When “The Goan” visited the beach on Wednesday to find out how the stranded vessel had affected their lives, some of them were returning with their catch in two fishing boats.
Had the grounded vessel affected their lives? That’s a no-brainer of a question. We asked it anyway, and the furious fishers responded angrily, explaining they were not allowed to venture out to sea for nearly a week.
“Who thinks of us? Don’t we need money to feed our families? Doubtless, most of the village youth have gone off to London to earn their living, but the rest of us here have to make do on our daily catch,” said one of the fisher leaders who was directing one of the boats out to sea.
He also lamented that first it was Cyclone Kyarr that prevented them from venturing to sea, and now, it was the stranded vessel.
Another fisher leader almost laughed and said, “In what way has the vessel not affected us? For the first few days, most of the village was terrified. Some even left and went to their relatives’ homes in Benaulim and Cansaulim.”
When asked what the fishers thought of the government’s promise of offloading the naphtha “soon”, the fishers laughed again, mockingly.
“It’s a joke. They’re all lies. What these ministers don’t realise is that they’re in power because we elected them. But who thinks of us?” asked one of the fishers.
However, they added that Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate had been showing concern and visiting the hamlet every day. The fishers also claimed to be in touch with Babush Monserrate about whether they could re-start fishing.
Meanwhile, an official from the Collectorate was also at the beach making a note of which boats were going out, and how many fishers went along with each.
He explained that the Marivel fishers would not be allowed to fish anywhere near the grounded ship till it was moved away.
The official also said that the Collectorate was sending officials on six hour shifts to monitor the situation at the beach and keep an eye on which fishing boats were going out, and that they returned safely.
