MARGAO
Death of the five migrant fishing crew members seemed to have finally brought the government and its agencies down to the Cutbona fishing jetty “ Goa’s largest fishing hub, craving for attention over the years.
Indeed, post-death of the five migrant workers due to the outbreak of cholera, agencies are on the job in and around the Cutbona jetty to bring about a turnaround on the sanitation and hygiene front and to clear the jetty of the rampant illegalities.
Salcete’s lone Minister, Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira might have begged to differ with the media when scribes asked whether migrants’ deaths have spurred the government agencies into action at the Cutbona fishing jetty.
Take note, the Cutbona jetty has been plagued by the burning issues of sanitation and hygiene, besides illegal anchoring of scrap vessels and converting the new jetty into a dump yard over the years, but in vain.
The Directorate of Fisheries has been well aware of the burning issues plaguing the Cutbona fishing jetty. In fact, all the issues touched upon by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, right from sanitation to hygiene, besides the illegalities, have been awaiting solutions from the Fisheries officials.
A visit to the Cutbona fishing jetty has revealed hectic work of clearing the jetty of the old and damaged nets and other items dumped on the extended portion of the 222-metre new jetty.
Health workers were on the job to fog the entire jetty in a bid to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Questions arise as Fisheries officials fail to act on removal of scrap vessels
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was quick to issue directions to the authorities to lift away the scrap vessels from the Cutbona jetty and dispose them via auction.
The question that remains unanswered is why did the Fisheries Minister Nilkhant Halarnkar and the Director of Fisheries Dr Shamila Monteiro not dispose of the vessels over the last 3-4 years. No doubt, the Fisheries Director had initiated the process to remove the unused vessels from the jetty. But, Dr Shamila need to answer why was the process not taken to its logical conclusion? Why was the fishing vessels not towed away, but were literally allowed permanent anchoring at the jetty after the payment of fines?
That’s not all. Local NGOs and the media had been consistently highlighting issue of the old vessels lying at the jetty, but there was no prompt action for reasons best known to the Fisheries department.
50-seater toilet block yet to take shape
While reviewing the situation at Cutbona with senior officials post-visit of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Environment Minister Aleixio Sequeira discussed and deliberated on ways and means to tone up the sanitation amenities at the jetty.
To a question, Sequeira told the scribes that the 50-seater toilet block cannot take shape overnight, but is it not a fact that the toilet block has been hanging fire for over a decade now, for want of action by the agencies, including the Fisheries department.
In fact, Sequeira was taken aback when scribes informed that the NOC for the 50-seater toilet block was reportedly issued by the Velim panchayat to the Fisheries department way back in the year 2013, but the proposal has not yet seen light of the day for reasons best known to the Fisheries officials.
CM’s visit raises questions on delayed new jetty inauguration
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has promised to return back at Cutbona fishing jetty before September 25 to inaugurate the 222-metre extended portion of the jetty. CM’s announcement may ring in good news for the boat owners, but also throw up a question why was the extended jetty not inaugurated when work was completed over half a decade ago. Is it not a fact that boat owners have been consistently demanding inauguration of the 222-metre extended jetty in the last three years after the new jetty was illegally used for anchoring unused vessels and for dumping dingy and fishing nets on the jetty?
Lack of funds leaves fishing hub without dedicated supplyGuess the reason why there’s no dedicated PWD water supply line to the Cutbona fishing jetty, when the State’s largest fishing hub has been the home for over 300-odd vessels. In the absence of a dedicated line, the fisheries societies has been procuring water via water tankers, with one of the two societies hiring around 150 water tankers a month to meet the drinking water requirements.
The PWD, sources said, had prepared estimates for a dedicated water line to Cutbona, but it has now been revealed that the proposal never saw light of the day after the Fisheries department did not pursue the same for lack of fund. This has thrown up a moot question whether the Fisheries department had sought government funds to lay the water pipeline taking into account the health and hygiene of the thousands of migrant workers employed on the fishing vessels.
