MARGAO
The storm over the dredging of river Sal refuses to die down, even as machinery mounted on vessels for the purpose again resurfaced on Monday.
An emergency meeting of the stakeholders, including the traditional fishermen and the panchayats, once again red-flagged the dredging of the river without taking the people into confidence.
In fact, the meeting held at Chinchinim slammed the government for mobilizing the machinery on vessels to take up the proposed dredging work when the people were told that the Captain of Ports may call for a meeting with the stakeholders on January 4.
Machinery mounted on vessels entered the river Sal from the Arabian sea via the river mouth at Betul taking advantage of the high tide. Fishermen believe that the government has mobilized the machinery and vessels as the high tide is expected to continue for the next two days.
Upset over the entry of the vessels in the river again, when indications were given that the government may engage the stakeholders on the issue on January 4, the agitated fishermen and other stakeholders confronted the contractor, Vaibhavi Dredgers, with a host of questions pertaining to the dredging.
While the contractor maintained that he has not yet commenced the dredging work in the river, the stakeholders wondered why the Captain of Ports or his officials have not deemed fit to hold discussions and explain in detail the dredging work.
The contractor, who came with a chart to explain the work, was told to explain whether the three-meter deep dredging will be based on the high tide or low tide. He was also cornered to explain the nature of vessels that would enter the river Sal as the dredging work has not made any mention of the type of vessels that will play in the river.
When it was pointed out that the dredging will also help the fishing trawlers, the participants demanded to know whether the government has plans to facilitate the fishing vessels to use the river to unload the fish in the wholesale fish market.
Velim Sarpanch Savio D’Silva, Assolna Sarpanch Xavier Almeida, besides panchayat members of Chinchinim attended the meeting. These and other village panchayats along the river course have already objected to the dredging.
Savio told the media after the meeting that the government is playing dirty with the people on dredging.
He said while the government had given indications that it is willing to engage with the stakeholders, including the traditional fishermen, by convening a meeting on January 4, the contractor has mobilized dredgers and machinery mounted on vessels on Monday morning.
“On the one hand, the government speaks about a meeting to address the issues raised by the stakeholders and before the meeting could take place has mobilized dredgers in the river,” he lamented.
Former Ambelim Sarpanch Cruz Silva said the government does not appear to be serious in addressing the issue, saying “the fact the contractor came to explain the dredging work instead of officials only goes to show the seriousness of the government”.
The dredging of the river Sal over a six-km distance from the Telaulim-Varca bridge to downstream has raised a storm on the banks of the river, considered the lifeline of Salcete. Traditional fishermen and other stakeholders have objected to the dredging without taking the stakeholders into confidence.
