MARGAO
Even as the Fisheries department sought to pass the buck on Velim village Panchayat over the maintenance of cleanliness around the fisheries complex at the Cutbona fishing jetty, Velim Sarpanch Savio D’Silva has hit back, demanding to know the facilities provided at the jetty when the department collects lakhs of rupees as revenue from the boat owners and agents.
In fact, the Sarpanch said Velim Panchayat is ready to take over the maintenance and cleanliness of the Cutbona fishing jetty on condition the Fisheries Department hands over the jetty to the Panchayat body for maintenance.
The fresh round of battle between the Fisheries Department and the Velim Sarpanch started over a letter written by the department asking the Sub-divisional Magistrate to direct the village panchayat to hire workers through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Mission to maintain the cleanliness of the jetty as and when required by the department.
The Fisheries Department stated that the department has already deputed two utility staff through the Goa Human Resources Development Corporation to take up cleanliness of the Cutbona jetty.
A visibly agitated Velim Sarpanch Savio D’Silva questioned the request made by the Fisheries Department to direct the Village Panchayat to deploy workers at the jetty.
Pointing out that the Fisheries Department collects huge revenue from Cutbona jetty -- from the fish agents and the owners of fishing vessels annually -- the Sarpanch demanded that the department utilize the revenue collected from the jetty to provide better amenities at the fisheries complex.
“If the Fisheries Department cannot maintain the jetty, the government should hand over the jetty to the village panchayat for upkeep and maintenance. In the past, the Boat Owners Union used to carry out the upkeep and maintenance of the jetty and there were no issues then. Instead of passing the buck, the fisheries department should set its house on order, or hand the jetty to the village panchayat as an alternative”, he said.
