Vasco: Expressing displeasure over the negligent attitude of the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), the forum of the traditional Goan fishermen has demanded the immediate suspension of MPT chairman Dr E Ramesh Kumar for allowing the docking of the unmanned chemical vessel laden with naphtha in its jurisdiction. GRE has also demanded that the MPT’s jurisdiction over inland and coastal water be de-notified.
It called upon the MLAs of Mormugao taluka to raise the issue with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in this regard at the earliest.
In a press release, GRE cautioned that if the vessel develops cracks then the entire sea would be polluted and there would be complete destruction of marine life, which may last for the next 10 years within a radius of 25 kms where the ship is grounded. With such accident, the coastline will be non-accessible to the people of Goa and tourists.
The GRE claimed that for the past two decades MPT has continuously violated the law of the land and has only created destruction to the environment and has deteriorated the health of people residing in Mormugao taluka.
“MPT has promoted projects and has handled hazardous cargo and projects which are anti-people and anti-environmental in the port town and all over its 57-km jurisdiction. Such acts of MPT have only generated huge loss to the state economy,” GRE alleged.
“MPT does not have any right to lease and sell our land to any companies. Therefore, MPT cannot sub lease property to other companies to build projects like marinas, ports, jetties etc, expansion in Goa,” claimed GRE general secretary Olencio Simoes.
“The MPT has taken possession of a large chunk of Goa’s land in the taluka. While prior to 1964, it had only 6,84,706 sq metres of land in its possession, over the years it has taken more and more land and as on date 13,74,757 sq metres is in its possession with 5,19,563 sq mts acquired for it between 1971 and 1985,” Simoes alleged.
GRE stated that as per the minutes of the meeting jointly chaired by the then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and late Manohar Parrikar in 2011, it was assured to people that certain matters relating to MPT and fisherfolk of Khariwado would be addressed forthwith. The MPT and the Government of Goa has clearly agreed that the Trust’s jurisdiction would be de-notified. Hence GRE requests the Government to not forget its promise made in its manifesto to de-notify the MPT’s jurisdiction over inland and coastal water.
