PERNEM: On the auspicious occasion of Narli Paurnima, where fishermen perform puja and hold prayers to show respect to the sea, the Tourism Department razed down a fisherman’s hut claiming it to be an encroachment on their property.
This angered the local fishermen as there are multiple illegal constructions which have never faced the ire of the authorities.
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As per the sources, a private land owner had put fire to the boats of fishermen from Vitthaldaswada around 9 years ago. The fishermen never got any compensation nor did the accused face any punishment. Fishermen have alleged that the same person has complained against the respective hut to the Tourism Department.
Vitthaldaswada has been a traditional fishing village for years and pitching huts on the beach to keep their fishing nets and boats safely have been an old tradition.
Local panch Vilas Morje, former deputy sarpanch Amit Shetgaonkar, panch Mandar Poke and panch Mukesh Gadekar rushed to the site upon hearing the news. They requested the Tourism Dept officials to not demolish the hut but their requests fell on deaf ears. The officials also refused to show any papers of the order to raze the structure. They told the fishermen to contact Tourism Director and said they were acting on the Director’s orders.
Panch Vilas Morje said that the department’s action without alerting the panchayat was inappropriate and that the fishing community will be meeting with CM Pramod Sawant to resolve the issue.
Panch members also alleged that the person who has allegedly complained against the hut himself has multi-storey hotels which violate CRZ laws.
