MARGAO: Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has claimed that Campal fishermen are suffering due to the mess created due to the alleged shoddy work of the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) by constructing a retaining wall and pathway leading to Miramar beach, in contravention of CRZ regulations.
GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes stated that the fishers have been operating in the said area for several decades; their belongings like canoes and nets were usually parked on the Campal beach, which comprised more than 600 metres in length and a width of 50 meters of sandy beach, which now stands totally destroyed. As the GSIDC had dumped big rock boulders on the beach and constructed a wall of 3 metres in height, it has made their life a complete misery. Now, the fishermen cannot land their canoes as the width of the beach narrowed, nor can they park their canoes safely during the monsoon. Due to this, their canoes crack, and nets tear apart, especially during rough weather.
Parsuram Naik, a local fisherman from Campal, stated that they have also written to several authorities, but until now, nobody has paid any heed. It is ironic that the Lord Parshuram statue is built a few metres ahead, and floating jetties, ramps are built near Kala Academy, but the government has no funds nor considers the plight of traditional poor fishermen’s livelihood at Campal.
Therefore, GRE has demanded to immediately construct a 40-metre ramp, remove the rocky boulders, and provide a parking area at the forest department, Campal.
