TEAM HERALD
DABOLIM: The Goa Barge Owners Association (GBOA) has threatened to anchor their barges in Zuari and Mandovi rivers if the State government failed to listen to their problem.
Addressing a news conference, GBOA President Atul Jadav urged the State government to intervene and direct M/s Sesa Starlite to hire the barges of the association. “We had signed an agreement with Sesa to hire the barges of GBOA. However, despite signing the agreement, Sesa has gone against the agreement and hired barges of other companies,” stated Jadav.
“The GBOA members have about 60 barges ready for operations and have secured the readiness of the barges by spending a huge sum of money. Presently, the crew is being employed on these barges, which are now idle,” said Jadav.
“Our barges will be lying idle if they are not hired by Sesa as per the agreement and it will be very difficult to survive. For the first time in 40 years of GBOA, barges are being used in rotation so that everyone gets business,” added Jadav.
Jadav said they have already brought the matter to the notice of Chief Minister Laximikant Parsekar, Minister of Ports Dilip Parulekar and the Secretary of Ports and urged them to intervene and solve their problem.
“Parsekar has assured us to intervene and solve the problem. The government, under Section 54, has full power to decide the rate and mode of transport. We are ready to share the cargo as per the discussion with former chief minister Manohar Parrikar. GBOA was allowed to ply 75% of their barges to carry the ore and 25% barges of the exporters,” stated Jadav.
GBOA member, Raymond D’Sa, said since there is no business due to the mining ban, it is a do or die situation for the barge owners. “We never faced such a situation during the last 40 years. We are waiting for the government to solve our problem, failing which we will take necessary action,” said D’Sa.
Another GBOA member, Chandrakant Gawas, said for the last 8 months they have been working on rotation basis. “Since e-auction has started, all the barges plying in the inland waterways should be given preference. We don’t want to make big profit, but with whatever lowest rate we have been offered, we can pay our crew, loan instalments of the banks and the creditors,” added Gawas.
Jadav said the GBOA members will anchor their barges in Zuari and Mandovi rivers if the problem is not resolved.
