Team Herald
VASCO: Tension gripped Khariwado jetty on Friday morning after the fishermen prevented the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) officials from stacking fertilizer in a newly paved plot behind Vasco fishing jetty.
The some members of Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA) said that when they were at the Khariwado at around 11.45 am, they felt burning sensation in the eyes and mouth. And while trying to figure out the cause behind the burning sensation, they realised that it was due to stacking of some white chemical powder right behind the Khariwado fishing jetty. Therefore, the fishermen said, they asked the persons concerned to stop the activity.
Since no one paid heed to their request and the stacking operations continued, the fishermen got furious, resulting in a heated exchange of words between them and those handling the white chemical powder. The heated exchanged of words turned the situation tense. Finally, the senior officials of MPT rushed to the site and brought the situation under the control.
“We don’t know what MPT has been storing behind our fishing jetty, but appears to be white powdery substance. Earlier, they used to store steel, granite and containers and we had no issues with that. But this white chemical is more hazardous than coal. Now, whenever heavy wind blows (towards MPT from Vasco city), our eyes and mouth start burning,” said GFBOA secretary Simon Pereira.
Claiming that the fishermen were already suffering from woodchips pollution, GFBOA President Augusto Fernandes said, adding to “our misery the MPT has begun stacking such white chemical. We cannot allow this to happen as it is posing high risk to our health.”
The GFBOA members also threatened to launch an agitation against MPT if it does not stop handling such hazardous cargo behind their fishing jetty within next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, MPT Chairman I Jeyakumar informed that after fishermen raised objections, the port has issued directions to the handling agency to shift the handling of fertilizer cargo at some other identified site.
“Though I am out of station but after receiving the information, I issued directions to the agency to immediately stop handling of such cargo at the newly paved area behind the jetty as the same is very close to hutments in Khariwado. I have advised them to keep only steel and granite at this site and in future fertilizers will be stacked near berth number 10 only,” he said.
