MARGAO: The long-awaited repair work on the road at Cutbona jetty has finally commenced, bringing relief to boat owners and stakeholders. However, amidst the positive development, concerns regarding various pending issues were raised during a visit by Velim MLA Cruz Silva and boat union leaders to the site on Sunday.
The repair work, which involved hotmixing the jetty road and the approach road, had been pending for nearly three years, and was delayed last year as well, due to the monsoon. Boat union leaders expressed relief, as it addresses immediate problems faced by their vehicles in accessing the jetty.
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During the site visit, MLA Cruz Silva and boat owners highlighted additional concerns that demand urgent attention. Silva emphasised that the constructed toilet facility and the newly built jetty infrastructure remain unused, urging the concerned department to follow up on their activation. He also mentioned proposed plans for new toilet facilities.
Vinay Tari, Chairman of the Cutbona-based Fisheries Cooperative Society, stressed the need for functioning streetlights at the jetty due to continuous 24/7 operations. He also brought attention to the fact that boat owners have for years now been facing issues entering and exiting the sea due to problems with the navigational channel.
While the MLA said that the construction of the training wall has been delayed as the State government is yet to receive the consultant’s report, Tari recalled that they had appealed to the Central government to provide them with an artificial breakwater system at Cutbona, as a permanent solution to their navigational problems.
Patrick D’Silva, former President of the Cutbona Boat Owners Development Union Society, expressed disappointment that Cutbona, a crucial fishing hub, has been overlooked by authorities. D’Silva highlighted various issues requiring attention, including the welfare of the labour workforce and preventing water stagnation near the jetty to avoid vector-borne diseases.
D’Silva added that if the jetty was well maintained and the infrastructure development planned well, then the government itself would benefit as the revenue they would earn would improve and the boat owners would be able to get better returns.
