Vasco: National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) has threatened of holding a nationwide protest against the Sagarmala project and the Ministry of Shipping, alleging that they are planning to finish 3 crore fishermen in the country with various projects. The executive committee meeting was held on 7th October 2018 at Velsao Panchayat hall,Goa.
Chairperson Narendra R Patil at the Executive Committee meeting has threatened protests on 30th October 2018 in all the coastal States. All fishermen will protest with their country boats and mechanized boats in the sea and other agitations if the plans are not scrapped. NFF Vice Chairperson OlencioSimoes criticised Nitin Gadkari who is the Ministry of Shipping and Sagarmala for Proposing Notification on designated corridor for merchant ships to avoid ship-boat collisions in mid sea.
“After Amending National Waterways Act, 2016, introducing the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016, diluting the CRZ notification 2011 and now by proposing the designated corridor for merchant ships is the final nail in the coffin for 3 crore fishermen and others who are dependent on fishing business” alleged Olencio.
He stated that the above proposed plan for shipping corridor is to facilitate Sagamala plans in which Port Modernization & New Port Development, port Connectivity Enhancement, Port-linked Industrialization and destruction of Coastal Community and tourism are planned by the Ministry of Shipping Nitin Gadkari.Stating further Olencio said that such barbaric dilution of policies and introducing of new policies is anti-national and anti-environmental as this an attempt made by the government to privatize the natural resources of India that is the Sea, Rivers and coastline where several crores fishermen depend on their livelihood for centuries.
General Secretary T.Peter stated that the Director General of Shipping (DGS) is in the process of notifying a designated corridor for merchant ships to avoid ships and fishing boats collision in mid sea, the current move from the DGS can be seen as unilateral to protect the interests of commercial shipping companies by completely sidelining the livelihood interests of fishermen in India. “The DGS is planning for a corridor which is 15 nautical miles away from the coastline with 20 nautical miles width. This is the main fishing ground where thousands of fishing boats are doing fishing and the present move from the side of DGS is to completely stop fishing operation in it.
