LED lights will destroy fishing
industry: Mandovi society chief
THE GOAN NETWORK
SALIGAO
Claiming that the use of LED lights for fishing will destroy the fishing industry in the long run, the Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Co-op Society Ltd (MFMCL) Chairman Menino Afonso has said LED usage should be stopped by all in the interest of fishing community.
Afonso put forth his views at a meeting convened by him at Malim on Wednesday to inform members about a no-confidence motion moved against him.
During the meeting attended by over 100 trawler owners, Afonso claimed that two directors had installed LED lights on their vessels for fishing activity. “The State government in its notification has already prohibited fishing with mechanized fishing vessels from 7 pm to 5 am in the specified area and as such, use of LED lights is illegal,” stated Afonso.
He further said he has received a letter from the Director of Fisheries on April 15 to direct all the society members to remove LED lights installed on fishing vessels.
“In the letter, it is also mentioned to discontinue the HSD oil, water and ice to those fishing vessels which have installed LED lights without obtaining permission from the Ministry of Agriculture Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairing and Fisheries, Government of India,” he said.
“As chairman of the society, I have to implement the orders of the Directorate of Fisheries. I have not taken these decisions, but am being penalized for implementing the orders,” stated Afonso.
“If orders of the State government are defied, then the fisheries department has the right to confiscate LED lights and generators installed on vessels and can also suspend license of these fishing vessels,” said Afonso.
“The use of LED lights for fishing is bad and will destroy fishing industry in the long run and hence, its usage needs to be stopped by all in the interest of fishing community. The fish catch is showing a declining trend.”
Afonso said he had met Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, industries minister, fisheries minister and the Director of Fisheries department in this connection. He informed them that the Coast Guard, police department or collector may be directed to implement the orders of the Directorate of Fisheries, as it becomes difficult for the chairman to direct trawler owners to remove LED lights fitted to the vessels.
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No-confidence motion
against chairman
THE GOAN NETWORK
Two directors of Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Co-op Society Ltd (MFMCL) have served a no-confidence motion against the chairman Menino Afonso, accusing him of taking certain decisions without consulting them or taking them into confidence.
Claiming that the charges levelled against him by the two directors, Francis D’Souza and Francis Fernandes, were baseless, Afonso said the motion had no legal standing.
“As per Supreme Court guidelines, a no-confidence motion can be moved against the person only after two years of his assuming office. I have not completed two years as chairman and hence this no-confidence motion has no legal standing,” said Afonso.
“I have been taking decisions after taking all members into confidence,” he added.
Afonso further claimed that under his tenure as chairman of Mandovi Fishermen Society, the Society had bagged the ‘Best performing society of India’ award in 2015.
