MARGAO: In an interesting development, Dr N Vinodkumar, Chairman of Mormugao Port Authority, Goa, stated that they cannot stop the shipping trade due to the fear of polluting the environment. “What we have to do is to reduce the impact on the environment,” he said.
He was speaking to seafarers’ community on International Seafarer Day, here, on Sunday.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“We cannot stop the trade due to the fear of polluting the environment, because every creature in some way or the other pollutes the environment. What we have to do is to reduce the impact on the environment, and hence the shipping industry can do much in reducing the impact. MPA is doing hard efforts to reduce the pollution,” Vinodkumar told the seafarers community.
He also informed that MPA in recent days had come up with several initiatives to reduce pollution in the environment.
Vinodkumar further assured to take into consideration the request of the seafarers pertaining to the allowing family members of the seafarers on board.
“Without seafarers there is no port and without port there are no employees. Rarely do we understand the difficulties and sacrifices made by the seafarers and their families. To promote global trade, sustain the world economy should not be forgotten and ignored by society. It is time for society and the government to pay back something to the seafarers,” he stated.
He further said that seafarers and their families have lost several beautiful moments of their life in sustaining the world economy.
“MPA will be completely solar powered in the next two years. We are also working on having a seafarers club at the port or in the port premises,” he informed.
GSAI has urged the Goa government to notify the retired seafarers’ welfare scheme at the earliest, besides requesting the Mormugao Port Authority (Goa) for dedicated space for the seafarers at the new terminal.
The Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) announced that the association will give stress in conducting career guidance programmes in every constituency of Goa in order to generate employment, mostly at the cruise line.
At the same time GSAI has also demanded that the Goa government recognise their association at government level.
Frank Viegas, President of GSAI in his speech informed that his association is very much serious pertaining to unemployment among the youth and initiative to start career guidance programmes to the youth in every constituency.
“Many times it has been noticed that many youth, mostly from rural areas, are unaware about the ways to seek employment at the cruise line. And hence, our association thought of helping them by conducting career guidance programmes so that it will help in generating employment,” he stated.
He further requested to notify the welfare scheme that has been declared as permanent on the floor of the House by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Viegas urged the MPA to allow the family members of the seafarers on board by issuing passes, besides representation in the port welfare committee.
Responding to the demands of the GSAI, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, who attended the function as a chief guest assured the seafarers community to raise the issue of notifying the welfare scheme in the forthcoming Assembly session.
“I will see to it that the government will notify the welfare scheme,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Adv Narendra Sawaikar, Commissioner for NRI Affairs offered full support to the GSAI in conducting the career guidance programmes in all the constituencies.
Several seafarers were facilitated in the hand of the guest at the function.
