AROSSIM: Against the South Goa Collector’s order to remove the grounded pontoon within 10 days (on or before May 30), the salvage operations to pull, cut and remove the grounded ‘Bhageerath-1’ pontoon, owned by Arihant Ship Breakers from Arossim beach will supposedly begin only on Thursday, and the process might continue even after June 10.
The South Goa collector’s order notwithstanding, the government, according to locals, has shown half hearted interest in booking the company and its officials, for their utter callousness in letting this pontoon, meant for a wedding party grounded. This was done even though weather had turned rough and the owners of Arihant, were told not to use the pontoon both by locals as well as those who were conducting water sports activities for the wedding guests.
Herald visited the site on Monday and realised clearly that even if there is an unlikely possibility of work commencing on Thursday (tomorrow), the process of breaking up the pontoon will not be over till the middle of June, which is way beyond the ten-day deadline given by the South Goa Collector.
After speaking to staff members and workers of Arihant Ship Breakers, it was revealed that, though the company has mobilised machinery and about 22 staff members at the site to undertake salvage operations, the work has been further delayed as the company requires a 20-tonne capacity crane to take the machinery, including a mechanical winch (pulley) and anchor chains, on the beach. ASB has summoned a crane from Mumbai, which is expected to arrive by Wednesday or Thursday.
“Once we get the crane, we will shift our machinery to the beach, after which we will complete the salvage operations within 15 to 20 days,” informed Ram Asre, supervisor of Arihant Ship Breakers.
Although the deadline to complete the salvage operation is hanging over the head of Arihant Ship Breakers, the urgency to remove the grounded vessel from the beach was found to be missing at the site. The workers who are in Goa for a mission will do nothing until the crane arrives from Mumbai.
“Nothing is happening. Now they claim that they are not getting a crane that suits their requirements. I am more surprised because the pontoon belongs to Arihant, which is a salvaging company, and the company is well-versed in salvage operations. ASB should not hunt for machines at the last moment and let our beach face severe environmental destruction, which will be irreversible,” said Cortalim MLA and RDA Minister Alina Saldanha.
Even the villagers from Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim (CAC) are irked, and moreover, disappointed to hear the news of a possible delay in the salvage operations. The Cansaulim Villagers Action Committee (CVAC) feels that the State administration, in connivance with the pontoon owner, allowed the latter to go scot-free by not filing an FIR against him. They demand to know why the officials from the State administration gave permission for the beach wedding party on the pontoon that led to the grounding of the pontoon at the beach.
According to CVAC members, though they were against the decision to cut and salvage the pontoon, they agreed to it only because experts had suggested that the pontoon, which is sinking in the sand day by day, has already started disrupting the coastal process, which in the long-term will lead to beach erosion, besides other environmental and ecological damages at the beach.
“After the Collector issued his order to cut and remove the pontoon within 10 days on May 20, we thought that Arihant Ship Breakers would expedite salvage operations. However, it is very annoying to note that the work is yet to begin and by no means the Collector’s deadline will be met, and the destruction at the beach will be unimaginable,” said Simon D’ Souza, CVAC spokesperson.
He further informed that CVAC has already decided to file a writ petition before the NGT, Pune bench, over the environmental destruction caused to the beach and to seek action against the culprit.
CAVC president Anthony D’Silva said, “This proves that the government has no control on Arihant Ship Breakers, and thus, the work has been allowed to get delayed for weeks together. The monsoon is at our doorstep, but still the work is yet to begin.
