Team Herald
PANJIM: Taking cognisance of complaints filed by them, the Khazan Action Committee (KAC) said that during a surprise inspection by the Tiswadi Mamlatdar it was found that doors of sluice gates had been removed, majority of the sluice gates were damaged and a huge breach of a bund at Dhongzo khazan of Mandur/Carambolim had resulted in submerging the entire khazan belt.
The inspection of khazans was carried out through a Captain of Ports (CoP) boat that sailed from Old Goa jetty towards Zuari Bridge at Agassaim.
“Different groups are vying to operate sluice gates by bribing the tenant associations. In view of this, KAC has demanded to direct the tenant associations to lock the sluice gates until the onset of the monsoon by closing the doors using the traditional technique (known as ghandovap) that is followed by associations when auctions are not being held,” KAC convenor Ramrao Wagh said.
He added, “The local police station may be informed to assist and maintain bandobast to stop illegal fishing activities as this can lead to law and order problem.”
We have also come to know that these tenant associations have not submitted audited statements of the past few years and hence disciplinary action, including, dissolution of the tenant association may be taken.”
KAC said that the actions are necessary to enable the farming community, which has been deprived of cultivation due to inundation and flooding, to restore the farming activity on which majority of these residents depend for their livelihood.
