Was to take a final call on their displacement on June 5, 2013
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO: Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s “wedding venue” project in its acquired property at Colva may be part of government measure to boost tourism, but Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s rehabilitation package for the traditional fishermen – facing bleak prospect of displacement from their habitat – is yet to see light of the day.
On May 18 last, the Chief Minister along with Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado and Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva in tow had descended on the tourism dept-acquired property at Colva. After an interaction with the beleaguered fishermen, Parrikar was non-committal on the plea to save the fishermen from displacement from their habitat, but had promised to return back to Colva on June 5 to take a final call. Nine months now and the Chief Minister is yet to make his presence felt, leave alone unveil a rehabilitation package for the traditional fishermen.
Says Thomas Rodrigues: “The Chief Minister has not returned to Colva since his visit to the village on May 18. We had high hopes that Parrikar would formulate a rehabilitation package taking requirements of the fishermen, but in vain”. Like many local villagers, Thomas has raised questions about the proposal to set up a “wedding venue” at Colva near the Colva residency. “The government should first work out a solution to meet the demands of the traditional fishermen. Pollution at the Colva creek, which is going from bad to worse with each passing day, should be done away with before the government even thinks of giving a nod for a wedding venue”, he said.
Social activist Judith Almeida slammed the present and past governments for putting the cart before the horse without paying attention to grassroots issues. “Has the government paid any attention to needs and requirements of original inhabitants of the village, including traditional fishermen and toddy tappers. Tourism projects are mooted without application of mind and are pushed down the throat of the common man. The Ministry of Environment and Forests have laid clear guidelines to take into account the traditional activities in a particular area”, she said, while asserting that no consultant can decide the needs and requirements of the local populace.
When Herald contacted Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva to throw light on government’s stand on the rehabilitation package, he exuded confidence that the Chief Minister would protect the fishermen’s interest by working out a suitable package. “I am confident the government would unveil a solution before any project takes shape on the acquired land”, Caitu added. Incidentally, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado maintained that the Chief Minister would not go back on his word of working out a solution on demands raised by the fishermen. “I don’t think the wedding venue project is proposed on the acquired land of the fishermen. I will take up the issue again with the Chief Minister. We will do our best to protect the interests of traditional fishermen”, Avertano said.
Land admeasuring 50,000 sq mts was acquired by the Tourism Department near the Colva residency around a decade ago for public utility. The displaced fishermen had made a strong case for rehabilitation on grounds that the area was being used by them for drying fish and the huts there were used to anchor canoes and store fishing nets, salt and dry fish.
Chief Minister’s offer to rehabilitate the fishermen on Fisheries Department’s property meters away from the acquired land had not found favour with the local fishermen community. “The present location serves our purpose. Proximity to the coast helps us to draw water
from the sea to meet our requirements”, remarked a fishermen.
Like many local villagers, Thomas Rodrigues has raised questions about the proposal to set up a “wedding venue” at Colva near the Colva residency. “The government should first work out a solution to meet the demands of the traditional fishermen,” he said
