VASCO: The All Goa Fishermen Union (AGFU) on Monday demanded that in order to save the fish and rivers of Goa, the state government should consult all 25 fishing unions and fishermen across the state before singing a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the river nationalisation project, failing which the union members have threatened to take law in their hands.
Addressing a press conference at Canoe Owners’ Association office in Khariwado Vasco, AGFU general secretary Olencio Simoes slammed the state government and cautioned Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar not to go ahead with the tripartite MoU between Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the Goa government and MPT for the river nationalization project.
“The tripartite agreement will be unconstitutional as fishermen of Goa are the natural stakeholders of the rivers of Goa and have been carrying out fishing activities for several centuries. But the government has not taken the fishermen or the fishermen union in confidence. Nationalization will only further cause destruction of Goa as almost 410 km of rivers will be dredged. Thereafter to maintain the channel, annual dredging will take place,” he said.
