MARGAO: Acting upon the issues raised by the concerned NGOs and citizens with regard to pathetic situations of Cutbona jetty, Directorate of Fisheries on Thursday issued a public notice to remove nearly 22 abandoned fishing vessels and purse-seine nets from the jetty area within 10 days.
The Directorate of Fisheries has instructed all the owners of the fishing vessel and fishing nets which are kept abandon at the jetty to remove them.
“Failing which all the fishing vessels and nets shall be removed from the Fisheries jetty and the complex by the government without any notice and no claim shall be entertained,” stated the public notice.
Out of 22 fishing vessels, five are of steel, and the remaining vessels are of wood. Besides, 27 fishing nets at the new jetty and 28 abandoned at the fisheries sub-office complex at the jetty is identified by the department.
It must be noted that on June 15, a joint inspection was carried out by South Goa Deputy Collector Jyoti Kumari, besides officials from the Fisheries, Health, and other concerned departments at Cutbona jetty. The inspection was in view of burning issues such as sewerage flow into the River Sal, sanitation, and threat with regard to vector-borne diseases.
Reportedly, a lengthy meeting was held in the District Collector Office, a few days back. It was expected the authorities to crack the whip with regards to the burning issues of the jetty.
Earlier, GOACAN along with Velim Civic and Consumer Forum has insisted on an action plan to resolve the issues, including sanitation and sewerage, besides the abandoned vessels. They also insisted that both the short-term and long-term solutions need to be addressed.
Reportedly, Sarpanch of Velim Panchayat Savio D’Silva is on record that merely show-cause notices will be not enough but concrete action has to be taken against the scrap vessels, which is needed to be towed away from the jetty.
