MARGAO: During a surprise visit to Rassaim in Loutolim on Monday afternoon, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured locals that the jetty project at Rassaim, which had faced stiff opposition from the villagers, would be scrapped. Expressing joy over the move, the large group of locals who had gathered at the ferry point told reporters that they warned the government not to ‘disturb their peace and livelihood in the future’. Emboldened by the win, the villagers have now demanded that the government cancel all new jetties proposed across the State of Goa, including the one at Durbhat.
Sawant visited the site along with Nuvem MLA Aleixo Sequeira. The Loutolim village panchayat and other locals were upset that they were not officially informed about the visit; however, news of the CM’s visit spread via text, and more than a hundred villagers flocked to the ferry point to have a word with him.
“Yes, Sawant has assured the people that the project of the proposed jetty at Rassaim will be dropped,” said Xavier Fernandes, a local social activist.
He said that the people of Goa don’t favour building jetties at other places as it will destroy the rivers and affect the livelihood of the people.
Luiza, a resident of Rassaim said, “We want the CM and the MLA to keep their word, and cancel the jetty planned here.”
They had said that the villagers do not want any jetty- be it for passengers, tourists, cargo or coal. They called on the CM to save the livelihoods of the local fisherfolk.
“The development of the ferry point can be done through the panchayat body but people will not allow a jetty at Rassaim at any cost. This is a residential area and several locals are earning their livelihood by doing fishing activities and agriculture, which will be destroyed if the jetty is built,” said Xavier Fernandes.
The villagers have been opposing the proposed jetty for several months now, and had even filed several complaints and objections with the authorities concerned. The village panchayat of Lotoulim had also joined the movement and had passed a resolution to oppose the jetty.
