VASCO, FEB 1
St Andrew Church Parish Priest and the Vasco Civic Forum have requested the President, Prime Minister and UPA President to safeguard the fishermen’s structures along the Khariwado shoreline that are likely to be demolished.
Parish Priest Fr Jose Antonio Jose Costa along with other parishioners had participated in the nationwide anti-corruption rally, which was organised by activists like Kiran Bedi and others at New Delhi on January 30.
Fr Costa took the opportunity to submit separate memorandums to President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA President Sonia Gandhi and demanded that structures alongside Khariwado should be rehabilitated first and later demolished.
Speaking to Herald from Delhi, Fr Costa said they are not against Mormugao Port Trust’s (MPT) port expansion plan, but it should not come at the cost of fishermen and local people, as there has to be an amicable solution.
He further said that the Church is ready to mediate to resolve the issue and is even ready to provide church land at Saibin Bhat, Vasco, for rehabilitation of fishermen, provided MPT and State government takes keen interest to bear rehabilitation expenses.
