MARGAO: Goenchea Ramponkaranchea Ekvott (GRE) strongly opposed a satellite port at Betul. “We demand that the State government withdraw this proposal or the State will witness ugly scenes in the upcoming season,” GRE Jt Gen Secretary Olencio Simoes said.
GRE said the satellite port of MPT at Betul to handle bauxite, iron ore and other commodities will finish the State’s ecology. They pointed out that the satellite port will handle 50 lakh tonnes bauxite and 10 lakh tonne of iron ore a year. For this, they added, the government will have to provide about 8 lakh square metres of additional land to the central government. The port, according to GRE, will be developed with options of either two offshore terminals or terminals close to shore by dredging the river and maintaining a draught of 17.5 metres at an investment of Rs 1,500 crore.
“To facilitate the port, land will be acquired by the State and Center so that it can construct roads and rail connectivity, thereby displacing and demolishing and acquiring private land,” added Simoes, who is also Secretary of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF).
“This port will not benefit locals nor fishermen as we know what has happened in Vasco but will only generate revenue to a few big companies,” GRE president Agnelo Rodrigues said.
“Every year, we are losing the coast. Instead to working to protect it, the government is doing the opposite. Goa has only 105 km coastline I don’t understand why this government is trying to get one more major port,” Simoes said.
GRE and NFF along with 13 traditional fishermen association presidents also hit out on the State and Centre claiming that the government is against locals and is annihilating the ecology of the State.
Rodrigues said, “Nitin Gadkari (Union Minister for road, transport and highways) is trying to displace fishermen across India only to benefit certain ports.”
GRE and NFF is opposing dredging of Rivers Mandovi and Zuari and claim the government is planning to dredge up to three metres. They alleged that the ecology would get destroyed especially the marine ecology as all mangroves, creeks, swamps, coral reefs along the river banks will vanish, creating a fish famine in the State.
“Will the 10 new jetties under the project, estimated at Rs 215 crore, benefit fishermen or people of Goa or casinos?” Simoes asked.
