VASCO: The division of Vasco Bay has been taking new turns every day. A day after Herald broke the news of opposition from the Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners’ Cooperative Society (OCFCOCS) to the division of Vasco bay for proposed developmental projects, the same community has now complained that a few BJP leaders are trying to play divide and rule politics to weaken their stand against the project.
OCFCOCS President Custodio D’Souza accused leaders for playing political games with the fishing community. Speaking to the media, he said, “Soon after we opposed the project, some people started creating misunderstandings between the canoe owners and trawler owners by wrongly feeding the trawler owners that we are against their jetty project.”
He clarified that the same project can be facilitated at the existing location even by extending the jetty width to 200 metres. “We will support this, but at no cost we can allow grabbing of Vasco bay and may even take severe steps and possibly mass suicide if the government forces its decision upon us. We may also call for a Vasco bandh paralysing MPT activities,” D’Souza said.
He further said, “MPT has a huge sea front and many areas have been utilised for construction of berths for shipping vessels, however, majority of these berths have been given on lease and the concerned parties are making money and locals are left to face pollution.”
He said there is no guarantee that after division of Vasco bay MPT would not construct new berths and give them on lease to private players.
