MARGAO
Migrant workers from states such as Odisha, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh swarmed around the Cutbona fishing jetty on Sunday ahead of the new fishing season, but the Health officials were not seen around to screen the migrant workforce for malaria and dengue.
The Fisheries Director has provided an office at the adjoining fisheries complex to carry out screening of the migrant workers working onboard the vessels operating from Cutbona. A visit to the Fisheries complex revealed that the office was locked being a Sunday, only indicating that the health team was conspicuous by its absence on Sunday.
Take note, the new fishing season starts in the wee hours of August 1 for the fishing vessels operating from the Cutbona fishing jetty in view of the hostile navigation issues at the mouth of River Sal.
While the health team from the Balli Primary Health Centre is expected to report to the jetty office on Monday morning, most of the workers will be sailing on the fishing vessels and will not be available for screening.
When The Goan had called up the Balli Primary Health Officer, Dr Mamata Kakodkar on Friday to shed light on the screening of migrant workers at the jetty, she said the health team is visiting the jetty twice a week since the migrant workers have still not reported at the jetty. “We will post a health team at the jetty once the season starts to screen the migrant workers,” she said.
Local residents, however, pointed out that the workers, who have descended at the jetty in the last two days, may not be available for screening since they will sail on the vessels for fishing.
Cutbona jetty in the recent past was hit by an outbreak of dengue, which had claimed the life of a local resident. Inspections later carried out by the Health Department had pointed to large scale mosquito breeding sites in and around the fishing jetty.
