All politicians are equal, some no doubt more equal than others. While watching a debate on TV the other day, I was surprised to hear a politician propose his solution to the drowning deaths due to drunken behaviour of tourists: ban swimming for the months of June and July. We do not allow fishing for the months of June and July – no fishing – and we can do the same for swimming, he says. Now, this is a sample of his logic? Is it a solution?
In Goa the ban on fishing is to allow the fish to spawn their eggs so we can get bigger fish after the monsoon. This makes good ecological and economic sense, and is also good for the consumer. This two month period is arbitrary, a compromise, and there is no reason why it should not be longer. I fail to see the connection between the ban on fishing and the law to prevent tourists from swimming in the sea for a period of two months. Have I missed something?
It appears to me the proposed ban on fishing for the months of June and July is not at all related to the ban on swimming in the sea, and possibly drowning. The undercurrents which are present all year at various times during the day, and at certain places, are not so easy to demarcate as it is water and not a land boundary dispute which is the issue, and needs a lot more thought than seeing a solution in the magic digit two. He needs to stay home and study the problem properly.
It is not good enough to go on a fishing expedition. There are dangerous underwater currents known to few outsiders, and a challenge even to good swimmers. How many of the people who have drowned on our beaches were good swimmers or had drunk anything stronger than a cup of tea? Where were the life guards when they drowned and were needed most? We need more lifeguards on duty, and for longer hours.
The MLA, in a way, has thrown some light on the importance of the ban on fishing during the months of June and July in Goa which has been in place for years now; please note – in Goa – not in other states. While the Goa government in the past, and present too, has no say with regard to the policy of other states on the lack of a ban on fishing for two months during the monsoon, it is not completely powerless.
Goa has ecological concerns but the government is not concerned about the plight of the local fishermen and the fishing industry in Goa. The importing of fish from other states in June and July – the period when the fishermen in Goa are not allowed to fish – should be stopped immediately. This makes ecological sense and also protects the interest of the local fishing community – not out-of-state fishermen and local/outside fish venders – during the duration of the ban on fishing in Goa. Does the government have the political will to tackle this problem?
The monsoon blues makes our minds cloudy and difficult for us to think clearly. We need to bring out a comprehensive policy on fishing and tourism matters. Unfortunately, previous and successive governments have been busy with other matters, and now the proverbial roof has collapsed on mining. Will the tourism industry be next? Solutions will take some time. Fast, half-baked, ineffective legislation is too easy and is to be avoided as we do with a contagious disease.
