FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
he Department of Tourism has invited suggestions and comments to the Draft Jetty Policy so as to revamp nine jetties across the State. The nine jetties which the government plans to refurbish for passengers are Aldona, Ribandar, Old Goa, Piligao, Banastarim, Rassaim, Durbhat, Shiroda and Sanvordem.
It was almost three years ago that the government had decided to refurbish these jetties at an estimated cost of Rs 73 crore under the Centre’s Sagartat Samriddhi Yojana, only for commuters’ transportation. But the refurbishing and redevelopment work of not a single jetty was undertaken due to opposition from the people.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said that a jetty policy was required so as to bring transparency in creating tourism infrastructure such as passenger cruisers, water sports facilities, etc, to offer entertaining experiences for high-end tourists visiting the State. The policy will also mandate regulations and weed out illegalities,
People however don’t really see this policy to harness the coastal waters. They say it is nothing but a backdoor move to enhance school transportation. The activists have said that there hasn’t been any public consultation on this policy. Also, the draft policy was put out only on the website of tourism department and no copies were sent to village panchayats.
Octavio Rodrigues, Marine Engineer, Captain of Ports (COP), said that a policy is the plan made by government or any other organisation to guide and maintain uniformity in decision making.
A jetty is a landing stage or an interface between land and water where passengers can embark and disembark. Also, loading and unloading of cargo is undertaken.
“The Jetty Policy is meant for streamlining all tourism activities. A consultant has drafted this policy and has to approach the COP, who is the conservator of the ports and will implement the policy but that wasn’t done,” Rodrigues said.
Now this policy is directed towards streamlining tourism activities. There was a need to have a uniform rate and single window system. This was done at the Santa Monica jetty. It was under the COP, but now given for tourism activities.
“Under the proposed Jetty Policy, a Jetty Management Committee has been formed to regulate and mainstream the single window system only at Santa Monica jetty. Now this is being implemented at other locations as well for uniformity,” he said.
“There are nine jetties that would be upgraded under the Sagarmala project. These jetties are not meant for coal. These are old jetties of Portuguese era, which will be revived and used by the local people. It will also generate revenue. We get the funds from central government to revive this facility. This is not for coal. It is for passengers and hinterland connectivity,” Rodrigues said.
Abhijeet Prabhudesai, Convenor, Goyant Kollso Naka, said that fundamentally people have lot of issues related to the jetties.
“The rivers and khazans of Goa were created by the local community 3000 to 4000 years ago. These were created, maintained and used by the people the river is connected to all the khazans, which were reclaimed from the sea. The wetlands, river bunds and every little detail were created by the local community,” Prabhudesai said.
He said that these rivers belonged to the local community and that’s where the fundamental issue arises. It is the jurisdiction of COP should be subsumed by people's rights. People's rights come first.
“What is happening since 2016 is there have been repeated assaults on people’s rights starting from inclusion of six rivers in the National Waterways Act and therefore taking the control of rivers into the hands of Inland Waterways Authority of India and now you have Major Ports Act, which is saying that MPA is going to decide on all these rivers,” the environment activist said.
Now there’s the Sagarmala project, which irrespective of what Captain of Port says, clearly states 137 million tonnes of coal will be transported through Goa and the MPT can handle only 51 million tons of coal after expansion.
“The remaining 86 million tonnes of coal is going to be transported through the rivers. That’s what this Sagarmala project says. The people are very clear. Unless the rivers are removed from the schedule, the port limits are removed and this Sagarmala project is corrected to remove coal transportation through Goa, they are not going to allow any activities in the rivers,” he added.
In response to the remark that these jetties are for tourism, the people on the ground completely rejected it stating that government is going to put up a ferry, which is an eyewash. The existing ferry ramps are being very well used and there’s absolutely no problem with it.
“These jetties are being built in new areas. There is absolutely no requirement for them as there’s no tourism activity in these areas. Nobody can envisage as how these jetties can be of use to tourists or locals,” Prabhudesai said.
Are the existing jetties getting refurbished or they are fresh jetties near the old ones?
Octavio Rodrigues said these were refurbished jetties and not new jetties. “These refurbished jetties don’t have the capacity to support coal transportation,” Rodrigues said.
Abhijeet Prabhudesai said that people have categorically said there is no need for further passenger transportation because there are existing ferries operating on the rivers. These are more than sufficient to cater to their requirements.
Fundamentally, no tourism is happening in these areas where jetties have been selected for their revamping and positioned as tourism jetties. Is this true?
Olencio Simoes, General Secretary, Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) said that there’s no such jetty policy in the country.
“This is the first of its kind policy which has come to Goa and in the name of tourism. If you look at Clause 6.1 of the draft policy regarding registration of vessels, they talk of barges, yacht, container vessels, transport vessels. Clause 8.2 mentions about maintenance obligation. It talks about dredging and its importance for maintaining the depth of the channel,” Simoes said.
“It is surprising that why should passenger ferry required dredging. We have already seen in Mandovi bay that there’s ample amount of tourism activities taking place there. Now again we are being fooled by stating that these are tourism related jetties. But the fact is there’s no specification about these jetties regarding the length and depth along with the required length and breadth of the channel. All these issues are pertinent,” the activist said.
Now in the new policy government is allowing multiple number of jetties to come up. There are fishing jetties, there are 12 jetties that are running in the mining belt. According to the activist, there’s no need for additional jetties. The government can easily upgrade them and convert them for tourism purpose.
“In the policy draft, the government is talking about 255 kilometre of river earn 105 kilometre of coastline, wherein you’re allowing additional jetties. There is no restriction of jetties. We have seen that almost 25% of our coastline has been completely eroded. If our beaches die, why would the tourists come to Goa?” Simoes said, adding nearly 80 percent of tourists come to Goa for the beaches and not for hinterland tourism. “This policy is not in the interests of tourism, rather it will finish tourism,” he remarked.
From the point of view of planning the infrastructure, where is the flaw?
Hyacinth Pinto, architect and environment activist said that Goa’s waterways are extremely underutilised.
“There used to be launches from Aldona to Panjim, Mormugao to Dona Paula. But at that time the speed of these launches were very slow. So, when the roadways became better, the people started using the roads. But if you use the waterways with speedier boats and pick up passengers from various points on the way, it will help in decongest the roads and lot many other issues would get resolved,” Pinto said
According to the architect, providing such infrastructure by renovating the old jetties is a good move.
“But you have to ensure that these jetties are utilised solely for passenger ferrying and not for transportation of coal or any other material. Then get the fisheries department on board and award those locations which are known for fish breeding. There are ways to mitigate the threats and yet improve the infrastructure,” she said.
She however pointed out that the authorities are talking about only cruise jetties which are polluting the water uncaught becoming a public nuisance because of the noise pollution and garbage that the cruise boats generate. According to her this should be regulated.
John Fernandes, proprietor, Boat Craft and water sports operator, when asked about his opinion on this issue, he said that in Goa people are used to seeing agitation.
“For me, it is a good initiative by tourism department. But there is no clarity in the policy. We need more tourists. From the time I started watersports 25 years ago, since then there has been a complete change. Those kind of tourists are not coming anymore,” Fernandes said.
He said that if the government wants to bring better quality of tourists, this would be a very good initiative.
“We actually need to upgrade our facilities. In olden days they were ferries from MPT to Panjim. That is not there anymore. So, if these things were there in the olden days, why can’t we have it now by improving the infrastructure? But the problem is we don’t know who’s going to build it, where we are going to build it and who’s going to get affected or going to gain from it,” the water sports operator said.
He said that if the state wants to grow then the government has to take everybody into confidence and then understand the core issues. Once that is understood, Proper solution can also be found out.
The COP says that the jetties are not for coal transportation.
“But is it given in writing anywhere? This policy clearly mentions that it is for tourism exclusively. If it is for a tourism I’m for it, otherwise I will oppose it. We had Water Sports Association meeting recently, in which it was decided that all members are going to oppose this jetty policy tooth and nail as there is no clarity,” Fernandes said.
When the COP is insisting that these are not new jetties but old ones which are going to be refurbished, then why are we saying that there is elephant in the room, when it is not there. When it’s being said that the jetties are not for cold transportation, then why is it being insisted that it is for coal transportation?
Octavio Rodrigues clarified that confusion is regarding cargo movement. According to him, under Sagarmala project, the jetties are being developed for tourism.
“These are also called as community jetties, meant for the purpose of people’s usage and for connectivity. There is no involvement of coal or any other hazardous substance as these are very small jetties. The draught is not deep enough for the barges to move,” Rodrigues said.
But the question arises that the consultant had not made the COP party while the draft proposal was being prepared. The consultant had not made COP a party while the draft proposal was being prepared. So with what confidence one say that there’s no coal involved and it is only for tourism?
The COP marine engineer said that the consultant failed to consult to formulate this draft.
“They have encroached into the rights of COP. This is not acceptable as COP is the conservator of ports. The issue of jetties lies within his jurisdiction. Why should we take NOC from a management committee?” Rodrigues said.
Olencio Simoes said that slowly COP and fisheries department will be shut down, simply because the National Waterways Act removes all powers and the Major Ports Act ends the authority of COP. Tourism activities like dolphin rides, water sports, are all done by the local community. But nowadays, one can’t see even dolphins.
“So what will happen to their livelihood? Now the tourism activities will be taken away from the local people and outsourced to someone in Delhi or Mumbai. The locals who are running the tourism activities will be kicked out eventually,” he said.
Simoes insisted that the final objective of the Centre is to push 141 million tonnes of coal per year through Goa, which can’t be done by just double tracking alone. One needs the rivers to ferry such large quantities of coal.
“Therefore these jetties are being developed in the garb of tourism. The dam built by Karnataka on Mhadei river has dried up the water table. Now if you start dredging of the rivers, what is going to happen to our coastline and mangroves and the entire maritime biodiversity?” he said.
“We have shortsighted policies. It looks like entire country is being sold to one man and his Gautam Adani. Our departments are sleeping. Everything will be lost unless the concerned departments raise their voice,” he added.
The activist said that in this policy, fisheries department has no say. Another administrative order was passed by Tourism department in August this year. It stated that new hotels, shacks, water sports activities, homestay etc won’t need NOC from any competent authority.
“Imagine a yacht unfit for sailing is given NOC. Tomorrow if it capsizes and people die, who’s going to be held responsible? This is becoming a mockery of the system,” Simoes said.
When coal is to be transported to Karnataka, why do we need jetties along the banks in Goa?
Responding to this visit this Abhijeet Prabhudesai said the whole point is the big vessels are going to enter the rivers and they need to store the coal.
“In Rassaim, a jetty is being proposed. Very close to it a bund is being converted into a huge road and there are khazans ahead which have been acquired by people interested in giving it out for commodity transportation. Everything is taking place at the same time,” Prabhudesai said.
According to him, MPT will be able to handle only 51 MT of coal. Remaining 86 MT will come haphazardly to villages and mountains of coal will be formed. The Sagarmala project clearly says 20 GW of power production and 75 MT of steel production is going to happen in Karnataka, which will require 137 MT of coal.
Prabhudesai pointed out that if one sees the railway double tracking and study the Sagarmala project, one would find that all jetties, railway tracks are meant for port connectivity.
The Jetty Management Committee (JMC) has been given enormous rights to figure out the level of water, nature of water and plant the whole river end ecosystem movement. But how did this come about?
The committee has members who want equipped with the wherewithal and the knowledge required to do this kind of work.
Hyacinth Pinto said that it’s definitely not feasible for a JMC to be acting over and above the COP and River Navigation Department to know the overall situation from the beginning.
“It is a management committee, not a planning committee. It is not a policy making committee. Why should the jetties be only for tourism and not for entire local community?” she asked.
Simoes said that the carrying capacity of beaches of Goa for providing shacks and other temporary structures in private areas was conducted by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management in 2016. It had stated that turtle nesting areas, the dunes, fishing fish breeding locations are no go areas.
This clearly stated which area was suitable for tourism activity and which was not.
“Now all these things have gone for a toss, which means you are going to include all these sensitive no go areas into the gambit of tourism. This is not a healthy situation for our ecology,” he added.
Octavio Rodrigues said COP has the right to put up any jetty in conjunction with the Coastal Regulatory Zone and Pollution Control Board norms.
“No one has the jurisdiction over the jetties owned by COP. As per the Indian Ports Act 1908, Chapter 2, Clause 6.1, COP has the power to make port ways for regulating vessels, disembarking and embarking of passengers, ballast, cargo, use of moorings, jetties, warehouses and fixing the rates for its usage,” Rodrigues said.
It also has the powers for licensing and regulating boats, catamarans, cargo passenger boats. The draft policy states installing of any jetty for tourism purpose will require NOC from COP.
“It is our land and the river belongs to us. If the tourism department or anybody else as such wants to put up a jetty, they have to take the permission from COP. Even though part of the committee, we weren’t consulted before drafting the policy,” Rodrigues said.
“The COP is governed by the central law, through a legislation enacted in the parliament. We have been given the powers and suddenly someone comes and forms the committee. Then it takes over the powers of COP,” he said.
Regarding the contentious issue of coal, he said that the entrance of these jetties is very narrow. Also there are bridges on Mandovi, where total height available is 9 meters. In these conditions, big vessels won’t be able to pass under them.
When asked about the main concerns regarding the policy’s impact on rivers and the ecology, Olencio said that as per section 5.2.2 of the Draft Jetty Policy, construction of terminal building won’t require environment impact assessment (EIA) report, nor will it require clearance from Coastal Regulatory Zone or NOCs from other competent authorities.
“If you see with respect to dredging, when Mormugao Port Authority was planning to deepen the port channel, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) expert member Anthony Mascarenhas said very clearly if you are going to dredge from 14.5 meter to 19.5 meter depth, then the entire river mouth could get damaged, the whole Zuari bridge could collapse,” he said
The government is planning to dredge all the river systems and if that happens, what is going to be the state of Goa’s ecology? There are reports stating that due to rising sea levels, villages of Goa will be underwater sooner than later.
“This policy will accelerate the process. This is not acceptable and I think the government has to rethink and withdraw it. Nowhere in India this kind of draft has been introduced, bypassing all other departments. There are policies brought for improving infrastructure, not diluting it,” he said.
