Team Herald
VASCO: Accusing the state administration for not taking up the issue of grounded pontoon at Arossim beach seriously and for allowing the pontoon to sink deeper in the sand day by day, the Cansaulim Villager’s Action Committee (CVAC) has now decided to hold a mass hunger strike in order to protest against the lethargy of state administration in handling the issue. CVAC has also decided to file a petition before Pune bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) on May 23, 2016.
“From the time of its grounding, the pontoon has already sunk more than three metres deeper in the sand and all this while we have been hearing only promises but no action on the ground. First they (state administration) said that the grounded pontoon would be towed away within a week time. Then they said that the pontoon cannot be towed away and the same needs to be cut and the work has to be completed before May 20, 2016. Now hardly two days are left for the deadline but there is no sign of any salvage operations at the beach. With the monsoons fast approaching the situation is going to be worse,” said CVAC member Simon D’Souza.
“Firstly we are going to hold mass hunger strike very shortly, followed by several protest rallies, etc in the days to come. Besides that, in order to take this issue to its logical conclusion and to ensure that the culprits are punished legally, we have decided to file a petition before the NGT on May 23, 2016,” D’Souza said.
He said the fishermen’s area where they used to cast their nets has been encroached upon by this stranded pontoon for a month now.
“They have incurred huge losses, all because someone wanted to have an extravagant wedding party and this someone is now going scot free only because of his strong connections with the leaders in power. This has been proved as we have not received a single reply even after we made complaints to so many state and central authorities,” he quipped.
