CUNCOLIM: Cutbona Jetty is brimming with activities as thousands of migrant workers, boat owners and others associated with the fishing industry are actively involved in fishing business.
Cutbona is one of the major fishing jetties in Goa and at the start of the fishing season it is faced with a host of problems.
Issues such as screening of migrant workers and issuing of health cards are still not resolved. Health Department started the process to check migrant workers for vector borne diseases such as malaria, dengue etc. but there are fears that the Department will not be able to physically check each and every labourer due to staff crunch.
Open defecation has been going on and the Fisheries department has failed in its promise to construct toilets. Local residents and local panchayat fear that the current situation prevailing at Cutbona will give rise to various diseases.
Locals too feel that there is a need to improve the living conditions for the migrant labourers as their current accommodation is not satisfactory. Incidentally, the labour department has not made its presence felt at Cutbona, locals informed, adding that the department needs to provide all basic facilities for the workers.
Small boat owners have also demanded that a crane be provided to pull boats in times of disaster. However, the government has assured fishermen that it is going to develop Cutbona jetty with modern infrastructure.
While the boat owners getting ready for the next trip, they have mixed feelings about the season’s expectations.
Some are confident of a good catch while others feel it will drop.
Fishing season will start in full swing after August 12. However, some traditional fishermen have still not ventured into the sea as they are waiting for Narali Purnima festival.
During Narali Purnima, fishermen offer golden coconut to the sea, pray for good catch and seek protection from all odds.
The two committees — boat owners and the purse seiners are divided on the use of LED lights. The issue led the formerly single union to split for the first time in decades.
The current development regarding a proposal to hand over the jetty to societies has also divided the two groups operating at Cutbona.
