the goan I network
PANAJI
He was responding to the calling attention motion moved by Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesaion on the fear and anxiety in the minds of Goans, especially the fishing community over the decision of the Centre to declare six rivers of the State as national waterways. He pointed out that the extensive dredging proposed in these rivers will irreversibly damage the riverine ecosystem and exterminate the fish posing threat to the fishing community.
Parsekar said the Centre has proposed maintenance dredging and not capital dredging of Goa’s rivers and assured that all stakeholders will be taken into confidence before signing the MoU. Only maintenance dredging will be carried out after an EIA study is conducted so that bio-diversity and fishing is not affected, he added.
Responding further, the CM stated, “The purpose of the project is to mainly develop waterways with lighthouses, embankments and jetties. Everything is in preliminary stages. The funds will be given by the Centre through Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).”
Speaking earlier, Sardesai informed, “When we had moved the condolence motion for Charles Correa, we had said that inland waterways should be developed for transportation of people to protect the riverine ecosystem and not for transportation of ore. Here it looks like the Centre is in the process of making Goa a coal transportation hub. No Goan will benefit from this. Earlier Goan waterways were considered as highways for ore transportation, today you are trying to
make it a highway for coal transportation.”
