AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
PANJIM: A lot of dust has been kicked up over the proposed marina near Malim jetty, but when O Heraldo got in touch with the company — Marina India — spearheading the project, there was no end to the confusion over the no-objection certificate (NOC) for the construction work.
Managing Director of Marina India, Gautama Dutta, initially claimed the company had obtained an NOC from the Captain of Ports but later retracted, clarifying that Marina India would only proceed with the project "with the blessings of the Captain of Ports."
Captain of Ports Octavio Rodrigues categorically denied issuing any NOC for the project. “They [Marina India] have not approached us for any NOC, and we cannot be dragged into the controversy unnecessarily,” Rodrigues said.
“I do not know which jetty they are talking about but we do not have any plan. If any development takes place then it will only be through the State Maritime Water Transport Committee (SMWTC) which is headed by Secretary (Ports), Government of Goa,” he said.
According to Rodrigues, the Government of India may say that it has no objection but it will request the project proponents to approach the State
government.
However, Marina India appears to have secured a separate NOC through the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) portal for the construction of jetties or terminals. Dutta confirmed that permission is being sought for the installation of 14-15 floating pontoons for yachts.
“We have applied for an NOC through the IWAI portal. The pontoons will be set up for yachts to dock along the river. I don’t know exactly where," he said.
As for the location of the upcoming structure, Cosme D’Silva, the company’s representative in Goa, admitted that the proposed site lies on the riverbank opposite the derelict tourism department premises, beneath the Mandovi Bridge.
D’Silva asserted that the public had been misled and that there were no plans to build a full-scale marina.
Interestingly, a floating pontoon has already appeared near the site mentioned by D’Silva, leaving local residents concerned. When shown a photo of the pontoon by O Heraldo, Rodrigues expressed surprise. “What? The department has not given permission to anyone. I will send my boys to check,” he responded.
Locals have expressed frustration over what they perceive as a lack of transparency. “The government thinks they can keep bluffing us every time,” said Felicidade Dias, a local fisherman. “I am a fisherman born by this river. If they think they can deprive me of my right to fish, the war is on.”
Adding to the confusion, a board has been placed in front of an unused jetty in Malim, stating: “This property belongs to M/s Dhrudev. Private Property. Survey no. 58/0 VP/PDF Bardez, Goa.”
Meanwhile, D’Silva argued that the proposed project was not a marina but concrete-supported floating pontoons that will benefit tourism. According to him, the company has already constructed similar pontoons near the Captain of Ports office and this was “the way forward”. He claimed that these pontoons do not require permissions from Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) or Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), and only need clearance from the Captain of Ports.
The IWAI portal, through which Marina India secured its NOC, supports the creation of jetties and terminals by private, public, and joint venture entities to boost logistics infrastructure along national waterways. According to Dutta, the project will adhere to all necessary regulations. “Once the portal opened, we got our NOC and expect to start work. The Centre has not yet detailed what other permissions we need. We will surely take all stakeholders together,” he assured.
Despite official denials and assurances, the presence of infrastructure already in place and a divided public narrative suggest that the controversy in Malim is far from over.