CUNCOLIM: The recent use of LED lights by a section of the boat owners at Cutbona jetty has caused a lot of commotion and tension among boat owners and has threatened to hamper fishing operations till the issue settles.
So much so that the Cuncolim police and Margao DySP had called for a meeting on Wednesday to try and ensure that law and order is maintained.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police Dinraj Govenkar today called on the President of Cutbona Boat Owners Association Savio D’Silva and Vice President Umesh Salgaonkar to hold a discussion regarding the chain of events at the Cutbona jetty. The Deputy Superintendent of Police has advised the association chief to approach the proper authority in getting justice and has also advised to make sure law and order is upheld.
After the recent events at the jetty over use of LED lights while fishing the situation at the jetty was tense. There is a virtual rift in the Association over this issue after some are favouring and some are against the use of lights. “The association has to keep calm and stop being stubborn as their stand of denying the boats from auctioning will create law and order problem at the jetty and will aggravate the problems further. I advise you to write to the competent authorities like the fishing department and seek a solution,” the Deputy Superintendent of Police Dinraj Govenkar said.
The association is meanwhile attempting to write to the Fisheries Department for a solution to the problem.
Furthermore, at a meeting held by the traditional fishermen, they too have voiced their opposition to the use of LED lights and have questioned if permissions can be given for the same. Those who are opposing use of LED lights are claiming due to these types of activities fishing will be destroyed in state. While they have alleged that there is a ban on night fishing and thus the question of using LED lights does not come into the picture, their charges have been denied by other boat owners who have also pointed out that the same practise is followed in other States as well. At the meeting held today, the traditional fishermen have claimed that they would not allow such kind of activity.
On the other hand, some big mechanised boat owners claim that they are fishing only in deep sea, as such it would not affect the local fishing activities. Patrick Silva, a boat owner and former President of Boat owners association, told Herald that some boat owners and traditional fishermen have blown the issue out of proportion. He pointed out that the fishing season has gone dry and they have no option left to venture deep in the sea and pointed out how using LED lights have helped them get a good catch and stated that there is nothing wrong in such kind of activities.
