the goan I network
MARGAO
With incidents of migrant labourers reporting at the Cutbona fishing jetty, Director of Fisheries has dashed off a fresh letter to the South Goa police as well as the coastal police to investigate and verify information that two fishing vessels have ventured out into the sea with migrant crew members who were brought from across the border during the lockdown.
Fisheries Director Dr Shamila Monteiro provided details of the fishing boats, the names of the owners and the registration numbers of the vessels.
The action initiated by the Fisheries Director comes against the backdrop of a letter received from the Velim village panchayat, which provided the details of the two fishing boats.
In his letter, Velim Sarpanch, Savio D’Silva, who also heads the Cutbona Boat Owners Union, drew the attention of the Fisheries Director that some of the trawler owners have brought crew members from across the border and ventured out in the sea without informing the health officials or the Fisheries Department.
Savio pointed out that the people residing in and around Cutbona are very concerned that these employees, who have come from Karnataka, may be affected as many Covid-19 cases have been reported in the neighbouring state.
He further pointed out there are many trawlers anchored at the jetty for want of crew, adding “if these labourers, who are arriving from outside the state, are not quarantined at government centres, then there will be more of them who will be encouraged to enter the state.”
“This will be a major threat to Goa when it has been declared as a green zone,” the Velim Sarpanch said. He urged the Fisheries Director to compulsorily quarantine all those who have come from across the border.
