CANACONA
Slamming the State government for failing to resume pension for seafarers, the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) said the seafarers would wait till the month end, failing which they may launch an agitation in October.
Speaking to reporters along the sidelines of an event to clean Agonda beach to mark International Coastal Clean-up Day on Saturday, GSAI President Frank Viegas said the pension received by retired seafarers had been stopped since October 2019 and despite assurances, the government was yet to restart the pension to seafarers.
“When we met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, we were assured that the seafarers pension would be resumed very soon, but till date nothing happened,” said Viegas.
“We are told the files were pending with the finance department for clearance. Since the last two months, we have been trying to seek an appointment with the chief minister, but we have been unsuccessful so far.”
“All seafarers are aggrieved and the government is not doing anything to resume this pension. The seafarers are planning to agitate and we will wait till the month end. If the pension is not resumed, we will have no other option but to agitate on the streets in October to protest against the government’s apathy towards Goan seafarers,” Viegas added.
According to sources, seafarers and widows of seafarers would receive Rs 2,500 during the tenure of then chief minister late Manohar Parrikar. This pension was, however, stopped in October 2019.
Seamen collect garbage, clean up Agonda beach
CANACONA: Whether offshore or onshore, seamen in the State have always been connected to the sea and the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) continued this association by cleaning the world-famous Agonda beach, to mark the International Coastal Clean-up Day, usually celebrated on the third Saturday of September.
The seamen of GSAI along with Rise Nation Trust collected several bags of garbage during the cleanliness drive, while also creating awareness among people to make it a habit and to take the responsibility to preserve and protect Agonda’s famed coast.
“It is our responsibility to keep our surroundings and coastal areas clean and beautiful. Cleanliness is one the best habits which represent the virtues of a person. Agonda is a world-famous Beach which is also knowns the turtle nesting sites,” said GSAI President Frank Viegas.
Added Varun Carvalho of Rise Nation Trust: “We introduced the plogging concept where you walk with picking-sticks and clean the beach. We are planning similar such beach cleanliness drives in the near future and we do hope Goans will come forward and clean their beaches.”
GSAI Secretary Michael Benny Da Costa, who also runs the Timewise Waste Management and Solutions company, thanked the Agonda Panchayat, and seafarers from the village in particular, for their support to the programme.
Cavelossim-based seaman Lawry Pereira praised the people of Agonda for largely keeping their beach clean and tidy, unlike his own village coast.
