SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Vowing to protect the interest of the fishermen community and save the houses and businesses from the coastal belt once it comes into power, the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress on Sunday organised a fishing competition opposite the Old Secretariat along Mandovi River.
Along with women, around 200 people participated in this competition. During this programme, Congress leaders hit out at the BJP government for not taking care of Mandovi River, which is being polluted by sewage of casinos and plastic garbage.
GPYC President Varad Mardolkar lamented that the present BJP government had sidelined Goa’s traditional fishermen.
“We will not allow this government to raze our houses in coastal areas. We will protect them,” said Goa Congress leader Olencio Simoes and fishermen union leader.
Simoes also spoke about how the new Port Laws had made the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) an autonomous body.
“The MPT may lease all these coastal places, depriving Goenkars to carry out business,” he said while also referring to how shack owners were recently asked to take permissions from the MPT.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar also accused the BJP government of failing to monitor pollution of the Mandovi River.
“Instead of fish, there was a catch of plastic during this competition. This suggests to us that there is a need to clean this river and keep watch that further pollution will not take place,” said Chodankar.
He also accused the BJP government of having compromised Mhadei River for political gains in favour of the Karnataka BJP government. “Earlier the fresh water of Mhadei River used to balance the salinity of Mandovi River, but after its diversion, this has been disturbed,” added Chodankar.
Former Panjim Mayor Uday Madkaikar said that due to the jetties of casinos along Mandovi River, the people are not getting opportunities to catch fish here.
“We witness daily traffic jams here due to these jetties. But once we come to power, we will take care of all problems,” he added.
The contest results were declared later. Hitesh Dhuri got the first prize and Edson Fernandes and Velentine Rodrigues received the second and third prize, respectively. There were other categories too where Shankar Mistri received a prize in the ‘First Catch’ category, Robert D’Souza in the ‘Maximum Catch’ category and Deepraj Naik in the ‘Smallest Catch’ category.
