MARGAO: An uneasy calm prevails over Cutbona as the Cutbona Boat Owners Development Union/Society rejected all the six applications it had received to register as fishing agents with the society on grounds that the Union does not have any place available on the jetty to allot to them.
In a reply to all the six applicants, the Union however said that they would review the applications once the new jetty that is presently under construction is commissioned.
It may be recalled that there was unrest on August 1, when the fishing season officially commenced as some of the Union members had brought an agency called BSF from Karnataka as fishing agents and forcibly occupied place on the jetty allotted to some other agents.
A strong posse of police descended on Cutbona that day and finally after much discussion Deputy Superintendent of Police Raju Raut Desai brokered peace between the two warring factions. It was decided that BSF would apply to be registered as fishing agent and the Union would decide about it by August 8.
DySP Desai had also asked the trawler owners backing BSF to ensure that BSF did not enter the jetty till the Union decided upon the application.
Accordingly, BSF applied for registration but as the Union received five other applications; it rejected all applications on grounds that there is no place at the jetty for so many agents.
Union President Savio D’Silva said they had to reject all the applications and assured that once the new jetty is completed, they would review the position.
