TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: In a bid to ensure its survival, the barge industry in Goa, wants the Union government to declare the state coastline as “partially smooth waters,” barge owners association said Wednesday.
Association president Atul Jadhav said that this would allow them to carry long-distance cargo from the state to ports in other parts of India as the barges would be termed as coastal vessels. Putting up an argument for barges, Jadhav claimed that “items such as cement, steel and other raw materials, which otherwise are brought to Goa via road transport, can be diverted to ships, thereby reducing pressure on roads.”
Speaking to reporters, he said, “Even if mining starts in future, it won’t be the same like before. So, it’s time we have to look for other avenues.” He informed that the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) had already conducted a study on Goa’s coastline to declare it as “partially smooth waters” and asserted that the State government needs to push for the same.
Jadhav said INCOIS had already submitted its report to the Captain of Ports (CoP). Barges are currently registered under Inland Vessels Act, 1970.There are around 350 such barges in the state.
