Team Herald
VASCO: Raising their serious concerns over the ongoing dredging work by the Mormugao Port Trust(MPT) in the navigation channel and turning circles, claiming it as annual maintenance, the Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), along with Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners Co-op Society (OCFCOCS) and Baina Ramponkar and Fishing Canoe Owners’ Society on Monday demanded that the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) should constitute sub-committee(as directed by NGT Pune Bench) within 24 hours.
The three organisations also emphasised that the sub-committee should inspect dredging site and whoever is involved in this allegedly illegal dredging should be taken to task.
Addressing a press conference in Vasco, GRE General Secretary, Olencio Simoes said on Monday they met the GCZMA member secretary and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate intervention into the dredging operations taken up by MPT.
He said the fishermen community from Vasco and Baina had filed two separate applications before NGT in June and order on both the application were in favour of fishermen.
“The first order was issued to dispose the fine amount of Rs 2.2 lakhs each to both, Baina Ramponkar and Old cross fishing canoe owners association. Second order was pertaining to dredging where in NGT though an order dated July 28 2017, NGT (in course of hearing the appeal filed by Old Cross Canoe Owners Society) had directed MPT to carry out proposed annual maintenance dredging work 2017 only under supervision of GCZMA sub-committee consisting of Dr Antonio Mascarenhas and three other experts, however, in gross contempt of the NGT directions, MPT has allegedly undertaking capital dredging work in the navigation channel and turning circles since September 7 2017,” Simoes said.
He said on Monday, during the meeting with GCZMA member secretary we questioned whether the GCZMA has formed sub-committee for the monitoring the dredging operations as per NGT order.
Surprisingly it was informed to us that the sub-committee is yet to be formed and hence the ongoing dredging operation is in complete violations and contempt of NGT order, he claimed.
Now since the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is also holding the portfolio of Environment Ministry, we want to know from him as to why GCZMA failed to constitute the sub-committee as directed by NGT. Also when GCZMA has been formed to protect the environment, we want to know from the government whether they want to protect the environment or not. If yes, then we demand that the GCZMA should constitute sub-committee within 24 hours and this sub-committee should inspect dredging site and whoever from MPT is involved in this illegal dredging should be taken to task, he said, adding that MPT should be banned to take up any further dredging until independent bathymetry data is available with the authorities to determine the present status and depths of the bed of Vasco Bay.
