would have regularised fishermen houses, which were built before 1991 and which had not obtained formal approval from concerned authorities. The petition was filed on Thursday.
Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners’ Cooperative Society Limited president, Custodio D’Souza petitioner to this case said today the Coastal regulation zone notification which was constituted in 1991 and then amended in 2011 with the sole intention to protect the rights and livelihood of the traditional occupants of the coast who were living for centuries.
Custodio also said in the minutes of the meeting held on April 16, 2011 along with the covering letter dated April 17, 2011 a representation was made on behalf of the Government of Goa and the people of Goa, through a delegation consisting of the then Chief Minister, the then Leader of the Opposition, the then Minister for Transport, the then Minister for Revenue to the Central Government, through the Ministry of Shipping & Surface Transport, New Delhi sent representation, regarding de-notifying the jurisdiction of the Mormugao Port Trust, notifying fishing village at Khariwado and regularising houses was taken up with the Central Government but today none have been fulfilled.
Further, he said that neither the Congress nor BJP have fulfilled our demands therefore today our only hope is from the judiciary and not from the elected representatives as they have cheated and only used us for their personal benefits.
Olencio said government instead of protecting the fishermen and implementing the CRZ notification is sadly going all out to displace and even demolish their houses only to bring unreasonable and unsustainable development.
Further stating the government is going all out to finish the fishermen of Goa by coming up with destructive projects like expanding MPT, bring marinas, proposing satellite ports, seaplane, dredging of rivers and so on and these projects will threaten their livelihood and the government is going all out by violating Article 21 of the constitution of India i.e. “Right to life and livelihood”.
