Team Herald
VASCO: The Old Cross Fishing Canoe Owners Cooperative Society (OCFCOCS) and Baina Ramponkar and Fishing Canoe Owners’ Society (BRFCOS) have strongly objected to the selection of ‘Vasco Residency’ as the venue for the March 27the public hearing on MPT’s expansion project.
According to the fishermen community, they object to the public hearing venue on grounds that the same is too small in size to accommodate over 60,000 plus affected persons who are intending to remain present at the hearing.
“Out of the 50,000 residents in Vasco and Mormugao, 10,000 residents are fishermen. In addition, the neighbouring villages of Sancoale and Chicalim and other citizens concerned with impact on fisheries, erosion of coastline and impact on other related infrastructure in the rest of the State. We are certain that a large number of fishermen, residents, environmentalists and concerned citizens will attend the public hearing as the issue of contention is devastating to Goa and will cause further environmental degradation,” said OCFCOCS President Custodio D’Souza.
The vice chairperson of National Fish workers Forum (NFF) and General Secretary of Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), Olencio Simoes, added, “The proposed venue is totally inadequate for the number of people expected to attend the public hearing. It is essential that the venue be changed to Tilak Maidan Stadium, so that all aggrieved persons can be accommodated and are allowed to air their grievances and make their individual representations.
Having the public hearing at Vasco Residency will defeat the very purpose of a public hearing, therefore, we demand that MPT change the venue to Tilak Maidan Stadium.”
