PANJIM: Goa People’s Voices: COVID-19 Responses, a citizens’ group,has sought government’s intervention to arrange transport facility for the fishermen, most of whom are migrants, to repatriate them to their native States.
The group, in its letter to the government, said that these workers on the fishing boats and in allied fishing sectors have continued to work and live on the boats and in/around fishing harbours since the announcement of the lockdown on March 24.
“As you are aware, the fishing season on the West Coast of India ends on the May 31 every year. This ban comes into force on account of the unsuitable weather conditions of fishing at sea which poses a risk to both property and life. As such, all fishing operations will close, and after securing the boats for the ban period, boat owners/cooperative societies will be clearing the wages and other formalities with the workers. Thus, we estimate that by June 3, a majority of the migrant workers will be in need to travel back to their State of residence,” the letter reads.
Citing Supreme Court’s order on assistance to the migrant labourers, the forum opined that dedicated efforts are needed so that workers in Goa will not be stranded after the June 1.
Goa People’s Voices estimates 6,000 to 8,000 migrant workers in the fishing sector, from States of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.
