Niz Goenkar opposes river nationalisation

Team Herald

VASCO: President of Niz Goenkar Revolution Front Sanjay Redkar on Wednesday has demanded the State government withdraw its support for nationalization of Rivers of Goa and de-notify the rivers from National waterways.

Redkar said that nationalization of rivers was not in the interest of Goans, it would displace lakhs of people dependent on rivers and would destroy Goa.

Addressing a press conference in Vasco on Wednesday, Redkar said, “Goa’s rivers are being used for shipping and navigation for decades to their maximum potential, resulting in conflict between the local communities and the shipping industry.”

He claimed that nationalising the rivers would only increase transportation of bulk cargoes for which the rivers would be dredged. Moreover, jetties and storage yards would have to be constructed, roads would have to be widened or constructed and more railway lines would have to be laid for facilitating movement of bulk cargo, he said.

“By supporting the declaration of our rivers as National Waterways, our State Government has endangered the livelihoods of traditional fishermen and farmers, who depend on our rivers, wetlands, khazans and paddy fields for their livelihood,” he said.

After nationalisation, he said, Goan Rivers would be with the Central Authority who shall have powers to enter upon any land or premises for inspection, survey, measurement valuation, or inquiry. 

“The rights of the people of Goa over our rivers are in grave danger as the Central Authority can remove any obstructions/ hindrance. The Act does not mention the type of hindrances, whether fishing nets, koblim, manus, futanim, katalim, etc used by our traditional fisherman or commercial infrastructure like bridges, jetties, buildings, etc will be treated as ‘obstructions’. Also the Act gives the Central Authority to acquire, develop and utilise adjoining river land which will be detrimental to our khazan and the traditional fisher folks. In short, we should say that our rights over our rivers are being sold through back door to the Industrial Corporate lobby,” he alleged.