WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024
Vijay Dessai
Cutbona: Cutbona Jetty—one of the major fishing ports in Goa—that house three hundred fishing vessels and a major hub of employment to more than five thousand migrant workers, however makes news only for wrong reasons. This fish export conduit is piling problems but all are passing the buck and none daring resolving the issues that demand immediate attention.
Boat owners, Fisheries Department, fish Agents, fish sellers, customers, workers, and locals have a minimum expectation of getting jetty cleaned and hygiene, and business run without any illegalities.
Recently, with political backing and supports from Fisheries Department Velim Consumer Forum and Goacan had unearthed many illegalities which are going on jetty.
Illegal encroachment on the jetty:
Cutbona jetty belongs to government. Fisharies department is the custodian of this jetty. Many have made encroachment on jetty. Many illegal shops and other structures are erected on Jetty, some miscreants even did land filling on the bank of river.
There are shops that are running without any license and without any permission neither from local panchayat body nor the Fisheries Department shows any interest to take action on such illegalities.
Abandoned boats without owner spoiling the show
Fisheries Department constructed a new jetty to accommodate more fishing vessels and provide better facilities. Many years passed, the jetty is ready for operation Fisheries Department is not inaugurating it after spending crore of rupees in constructing it.
On this new jetty old and abandoned fishing boats are anchored. No one is ready to claim ownership of these abandoned boats. This unwanted scrap brings shabby face to newly-constructed jetty. For last so many years boat owners are demanding to dispose of this scrap but department always turn blind eye towards this issue.
Salcete SDM Jyoti Kumari has finally given a deadline of 10 days to Fisheries Department to give a road map on how they would be towing these abandoned boats from the jetty. Department in turn have decided to issue show cause notice to some boat owners to tow abandoned boats from jetty. Sources from department told media that they will float tenders to dispose of old boats.
Jetty turned into dumping ground of fishing nets
Many boat owners left there torn and spoiled fishing nets on port. SDM also issued instructions to department officials to remove all filth from jetty and to make it beautiful and clean.
Sanitation facilities need to addressed
Thousands of workers are regular to the jetty so proper sanitation facilities is a priority. Department has introduced pay toilet facility. Unfortunately there are not enough toilets on the jetty. Government had sanctioned fifty toilets but failed to meet the number. They apparently give list of excuses and reasons saying why toilets are not constructed. There are allegations that raw sewerage has been released in River Sal. Strong management need to resolve these long pending problems.
Health, hygiene, cleanliness and beautification of port
Cutbona fishing harbour is known for vector-borne diseases. It's a breeding ground for mosquitoes hence diseases like Malaria, Dengue and other vector-borne diseases are spreading steadily. Health department along with Fisheries Department and boat owners need to prepare a strong plan to curb such nuisance.
Health department personnel, and vector-borne diseases doctors and experts, are asking and expecting cooperation from boat owners to control spread of Malaria and Dengue. Health officials are saying migrant workers who are working on fishing vessels need to be provided with health cards and also need to check if they are carrier of diseases. Unfortunately many boat owners do not cooperate with doctors and experts to do medical checkups providing health cards to workers. Health officers say only forty per cent workers are registering with department others do not bother to do health checkup.
Cutbona fishing jetty is the backbone of State economy. This fishing harbour needs to put in place.
