Team Herald

VASCO: Reacting to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statement on river nationalization, the Joint General Secretary of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) and Secretary of National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) Olencio Simoes on Tuesday said that the statement made by Parrikar that there is nothing called as river nationalization is misleading.

“The MOU which will be signed by captain of ports (COP) are not legally binding and singing of MOU will no way gives rights to the State,” Simoes said.

He said that Section 3 of the National Waterways Act, 2016 clearly points out that in the public interest Union should take under its control the regulation and development of the waterways specified in the Schedule for the purposes of shipping and navigation to the extent provided in the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985.

 “This act will destroy our river ecology as dredging, training, closure, diversion of channels etc will displace livelihood of fishermen and along with our rivers the act will have total control on appurtenant land and several acres of land will be deemed to be needed and will be acquired by Land Acquisition Act 1894,” he said.

He also claimed that the necessary infrastructure for the coal transportation, are being hastily carried out by the Governments, at huge costs to the Public.

He said that the final Report for Sagarmala (Vol. V) Master Plan for Mormugao Port trust (MPT) mentions that Large steel plants and power plants are been planned at Bellari, Hospet, Hubli, Manglore, Miraj etc at Karnataka which require over 135 Million tonnes of coal, and taking it through Mormugao Port trust (MPT) will make these private corporations gain higher profits.

“Therefore to transport this huge quantity of coal, our six rivers is necessary as road and rail infrastructure will not meet the requirements.  The government should immediately de-notify the 6 Goan rivers from the National Waterways Act, 2016 like done by Kerala government who opposed inclusion of 10 rivers,” he demanded.