Team Herald

VASCO: Mormugao Deputy Collector Mahadev Arundekar on Friday informed that the Indian Navy officials from Goa would issue special permission for the annual feast celebration to be held at Grande Island located off Baina coast. 

Speaking to reporters after holding a joint meeting with fishermen community from Vasco in presence of Navy officials, Arundekar said that the Navy officials from INS Gomantak had requested him to call for a joint meeting with fishermen community so that the issues pertaining to permission requested by the fishermen community who have been celebrating annual feast including traditional rituals of tulsi vivah and Mass feast at Grande Island can be resolved. 

He said that the meeting was fruitful and it has been agreed to by the Indian Navy officials that they would allow fishermen community to celebrate annual feast at Grande Island with the condition that their names should be provided well in advance to Navy officials. 

“Since Grande Island is in the possession of Indian Navy and as visiting the island without the permission from Navy is restricted, the Navy officials came forward to support the fishermen community by issuing special permission for the annual feast celebration at Grande Island,” Arundekar said. 

During the meeting it was informed to the Navy officials that the annual Tulsi Vivah celebration would be held at Grande Island on November 3 and around 250 fishermen would attend the same. Similarly, the annual Mass for the Holy Cross at Grande Island would he held on November 12 and around 600 people would attend the same.

On behalf of the fishermen community, Jerry Fernandes said that they have been celebrating feasts at Grande Island much prior to navy taking over the possession of Island. “Every year people and mostly those involved in fishing business visit the island to offer prayers asking for calm sea, good business and health for family. However, since last two years, the Navy officials have been creating disruption during the annual feast over permission issue. Hence, we decided to take up the issue with the deputy collector so that Navy can allow us to celebrate the annual feast peacefully and religiously. We are happy that the Navy has decided to grant their permission for the feast,” Fernandes said.