Cuncolim police station in-charge PI Gurudas Kadam seen discussing the issue of boat owners with SDM Ajit Panchwadkar at the Cutbona fishing jetty. Santosh Mirajkar
Police, SDM calm tempers at Cutbona jetty
Call on both unions to settle matters amicably
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Tension filled the air again at the Cutbona fishing jetty on Monday and the Cuncolim police and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Margao, rushed to the jetty around noon to avert a law and order situation between two groups of warring boat owners.
After the intervention by Cuncolim police station in-charge, PI Gurudas Kadam and SDM, Margao Ajit Panchwadkar, the warring boat owners held discussions, wherein they resolved to solve all their differences amicably under the banner of Cutbona Boat Owners Union. The two Union presidents Seby Cardozo (purse seine) and Savio D’Silva (fishing) also agreed that there ought to be one president heading the Union. Accordingly, a suggestion was made that Kennedy Alemao should head the Union as a stop gap president till the annual general body meeting is convened to elect a new committee.
Union president Savio told The Goan that he has agreed to the suggestion to have a new committee, but hastened to add that he has also asked the boat owners to withdraw the false cases lodged against him at the Cuncolim police station.
On the question of payment of money by a boat owner to another owner, which was the case of the present stand off at the jetty, it was resolved that the boat owner will make the payments, while the Union will compensate the boat owner for the loss sustained by him in the wake of the Union’s decision not to auction his fish at the jetty.
Trouble started in the morning when a group of boat owners ordered a stop to all loading activities at the fishing jetty. The action ostensibly comes against the backdrop of the Union’s action not to auction the fish brought to the jetty by a boat owner on Saturday.
Moments later, another group of boat owners made their presence felt at the jetty and gave a call to the stakeholders to start the loading operations.
Sensing trouble, Cuncolim Police station in-charge, PI Kadam along with a posse of policemen rushed to the jetty to avert a possible clash amongst the boat owners. In the meantime, SDM Panchwadkar also reached the venue and held discussions with the warring factions with a plea to ensure peace on the jetty. PI Kadam played a major role in making the two groups see reason and hold discussions and come out with an amicable settlement in their own interest.
SDM Panchwadkar later told the media that the two groups would hopefully come out with a solution within two days to ensure that there’s no law and order problem at the jetty.
