MARGAO
As the countdown begins for the new fishing season starting three days from now on August 1, the hustle and bustle is slowly returning to Goa’s largest fishing jetty “ the Cutbona fishing jetty.
Migrant labourers hailing from the states of Odisha and Jharkhand have started reporting at the fishing jetty. With Goa’s fishing industry cent per cent dependent on the migrant work force, a couple of mechanised boat owners have headed to or have returned back from these two states in the country’s East after confirming the arrival of the fishing crew.
A visit to the Cutbona fishing jetty revealed that the hustle and bustle is slowly returning back at the jetty after the ban period. So far, around 30-40 per cent of the migrant manpower has reported at the jetty, with boat owners expecting the arrival of the workers on time or after August 10 after the workers cap their agricultural activity in their native states.
Workers brought by the boat owners were found working on the fishing nets, while others were engaged in petty jobs on chipping the vessels or painting the dingy lining up along the jetty road, indicating that the mechanised boat owners are all bracing up to start the new fishing season in right earnest.
The Cutbona fishing jetty, which has evolved from a small bund playing host to a couple of small fishing boats in the 70s and 80s to a major fishing hub, plays host to a fleet of over 150 fishing boats, most of which will be venturing out in the sea in the new fishing season, beginning from August 1.
Even as they hope and pray that the new fishing season will ring in good news, the host of old issues plaguing the fishing jetty are staring at the stakeholders, including the boat owners.
Hostile navigation conditions at River Sal mouth
Mechanised boat owners of both large and small fishing vessels, will have to once grapple with the hostile navigation issues jeopardising the fishing operations at the mouth of River Sal. While the boat owners brace up to start the new fishing season, whether the fishing vessels will venture out in the sea for fishing will again largely depend on the weather conditions. For, the long-pending proposal to build a training wall at the mouth of River Sal has been stuck in bureaucratic red tape after the National Green Tribunal insisted on preparing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report before undertaking the wall construction.
Sanitation issues
As the Cutbona fishing jetty is the home for thousands of migrant workers, prudence demands adequate sanitation facilities for the fishing crew. Sadly, sanitation is one issue that has been plaguing the Cutbona fishing jetty, with promises to spruce up the jetty with toilets confined to the records books. While a lone Sulabh toilet is working round the clock at the jetty, Fisheries department officials claimed the bio-toilets installed at the Fisheries complex will be put to use for the benefit of the workers.
Boat owners, however, demand to know the fate of the 50-seater toilet block proposed at the Cutbona fishing jetty over a decade ago. Sanitation issue staring at Cutbona jetty has been highlighted time and again by NGO Goacan, insisting that the rejuvenation of River Sal will not be complete without adequate sanitation amenities at the jetty.
Health and vector borne diseases
Migrant crew hailing from the malaria and dengue endemic states such as Odisha and Jharkhand have started reporting at the Cutbona jetty. Many workers were seen either engaged in odd jobs or loitering at the jetty. Sadly, a dedicated health team is yet to make its presence felt at the jetty to take blood samples of the migrant workers. No doubt, Health department says its workers go to the Cutbona jetty during the fishing season, but boat owners say that the best time to take the blood samples of the workers are the days in the run up to the season. “When the season begins, the workers sail on the fishing boats and their return back to the jetty depends on the catch. Since the workers have started reporting at the jetty, the Health department should set up a desk at the jetty to check the labourers,” remarked a boat owner.
Illumination of jetty road
The Fisheries department has finally hot mixed the damaged Cutbona fishing road with a hot mix. Boat owners, however, have pointed out that illumination of the jetty road is far cry. Despite provision for street lights, boat owners claimed the jetty is in darkness during, resulting in thefts on boards the vessels.
New fishing jetty
Come August 1, and boat owners operating from the Cutbona fishing jetty will remind the government to inaugurate and put the extended portion of the Cutbona fishing jetty to use. Work on the extension of the Cutbona fishing jetty was taken up and completed around half a decade ago. The 222-metre long new jetty, however, is being used as a dumping ground for dingy, fishing nets, etc, with boat owners demanding to use the jetty for berthing of fishing vessels.
