Almost 10 years have passed but all efforts towards the revival of prawn hatchery at Benaulim, which has occupied nearly 45,000 square meters of unused land, failed to take off. Surprisingly, it has been now revealed that people have to wait for the new government to take forward the reviving of the much discussed project, as the government has lost all hopes to finalise the project in the current term.
After Herald visited the site and met all the concerned members related to the project reveals that the revival of prawns hatchery is not flexible in Goa, wherein even the Fisheries Minister Filipe Neri Rodgriues has given clear indications that this present government of BJP won’t be able to give green signal for reviving of Benaulim hatchery as a shrimp and finfish facility.
After the asking for the Expression of Interest, several companies from outside Goa, and from the State had shown keen interest in the project, which the government had aimed at reviving under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. However, at the moment the file is pending before the PPP Cell, wherein the fisheries minister had put his remark that interest of both Goans and companies from outside the State should be taken into consideration before finalising the bids.
BACKGROUND
It is pertinent that the Benaulim prawn hatchery project was initiated under the Central government scheme. The pilot prawn hatchery was inaugurated by Dr Bal Ram Jakhar, then Union Minister for Agriculture in the presence of then Chief Minister Ravi Naik on June 10, 1992.
However, nothing went well with the project and was it forced to shut down the operations of the hatchery in 2012.
Another shocking fact of the project was that nearly 36 workers engaged at the project site were left abandoned. The workers were sitting idly at the site with no work for the last several years. Government failed to pay their timely salaries then and now also. The demand to
absorb them in other departments also went unheard for the last many years, leading to frustration amongst the workers.
However, as informed by the sources many workers have died waiting for the positive response from the government. But recently, the numbers of workers have been reduced from 36 to 26, and many are transferred to sub-centres of the Fisheries Department.
PRESENT SCENARIO OF PRAWN HATCHERY
It will be shocking to see the present scenario of the Benaulim Prawns Hatchery, as the site has become one of the concrete jungles with no activities. An office kept for the administrative works is the only structure that is safe for the human, and the rest of the structures have become shelter for the reptiles.
As claimed by the locals and traditional fishermen community of the area, this site has become a nuisance, wherein illegal activities are witnessed all the time.
The structure built for the safety of the water pumps, the room to carry out repair works, the tanks and everything that was once used for activities of prawns hatchery has now become a ghost house.
Many machines have become scrap due to no maintenance. No security at the gate has created easy access, leading to mess and nuisance.
Speaking to Herald, Cruz Fernandes, a resident of Benaulim narrated the sad story of the prawn hatchery and said that the government has failed to take forward this project seriously.
“What is shocking is that the government has left the land unutilised for the last many years, as a result we are witnessing several untoward incidents in the area. The negligence from the government has even deprived the traditional fishing community to carry out their businesses”, he stated.
GOVERNMENT’S REVIVAL PLANS
Taking into consideration the huge land and defunct project, the BJP government had plans to revive the Benaulim prawn hatchery into a full-fledged shrimp and finfish hatchery, and nursery to fill the gap between demand and supply.
The revival plans had also aimed to attain self-sufficiency in production of fish juveniles, to boast aquaculture and increase shrimp production, besides to generate employment in the State.
Speaking to Herald Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Minister for Fisheries said that the department had called for the Expression of Interest from interested developers to furnish a detailed report comprising proposed conceptual design, methodology, technology and any other good industry practices in vogue globally to make it a world class facility.
“We have not yet shortlisted any bidder for the work on the revival of the hatchery. The department has received a number of applications including Goans and outside agencies. I have asked the officials to take into consideration all the aspects before finalising the bids“, he informed.
Amongst, the companies shown interest in executing the shrimp and finfish hatchery project are Kerala-based Enigin, Ananda Group (Andhra Pradesh), FHNNE, Bangalore, and CPF India Pvt. Ltd from Tamil Nadu.
As informed by the sources of Fisheries Department, Enigin Kerala has proposed to set up zero discharged circulatory hatcheries, wherein Ananda Group has submitted a tentative design for a shrimp hatchery of 500 million PL and sea bass hatchery of 10 million juveniles.
Besides, Goa based companies like Corlim Marine Export Pvt. Ltd, Krish Marketing, Benaulim based Niz Ramponnkarancho Ekvott, Trevor Fernandes and others from Benaulim have also shown interest in the revival project of Benaulim prawn hatchery.
However, at the moment the file is pending before the PPP Cell and yet to take a final call in order to finalise the bids.
VIEWS FROM AQUA-CULTURE FARMERS
The government may have plans to review the Benaulim prawns hatchery as a shrimp and finfish facility but according to the farmers engaged in shrimp cultivation, it will be very difficult to make the Benaulim prawns hatchery viable and flexible.
As per views of the experts from aqua-culture, there are several factors that need to be taken into consideration while aiming to take forward the prawn hatchery, and more especially keeping in mind the small State of Goa, and the laws of the land.
There are nearly 300 prawn hatcheries in the country and Goa has failed in its first attempt. The quality of seeds and price as compared to the other State will play a major role, if by chance the revival of Benaulim prawn hatchery takes off.
“We can witness nearly 60 to 70 hatcheries in one area, at a place like Chennai, where one can buy quality seeds, if not at one then other hatchery. Depending on only one hatchery is not viable for the farmers, and it will certainly affect the quality”, said Anil Furtado, who runs a farm in Carmona.
At the moment no push and several other factors have resulted in shutting down aquaculture farms in Pernem, Cortalim, Cavelossim and many other places in Goa.
According to the experts, Goa being a coastal State, everything is bound by the CRZ norms, besides, agriculture and tenancy laws which restrict the farms in other areas.
Anil is of strong opinion that the revival of Benaulim prawn hatchery will not benefit the Goan farms in any way. “Logistic wise it will be a good one but it won’t be flexible”, he stated.
Isac Da Costa, who runs a farm in Deussua, Chinchinim is of the opinion that prawn hatchery at Benaulim if revived should not be with the government.
“The PPP model can make the hatchery viable, and it will benefit the farmers involved in shrimp cultivation, but only one thing needs to be kept in mind and that is the good quality of seeds for profitable shrimps cultivation”, he stated.
Aurovil Furtado, another farm owner from Orlim also said they need good quality of seeds.
“The government needs to give serious thought if it intends to revive the Benaulim prawn hatchery before commencing. Even if started on a PPP model, the views of the Goan farm owners and the requirements of the farms need to be taken into consideration”, he stated.
He informed that at the moment the aqua-culture in Goa is not showing good signs. Several have shifted themselves from aqua-culture to other businesses because of losses suffered.
FARMING COMMUNITY NEEDS SPACE
Several farmers from Benaulim and other coastal belts are of the opinion that the land acquired for the prawn hatchery should be utilised for the betterment of the farming community, instead of running after the project which is not viable.
“We have seen how the project lands up facing losses. It has created a mess. And hence, instead of keeping the land unused the government must give it to the fishing community in order to keep moving the fishing activities”, said Peter Fernandes from Benaulim.
He claimed that fishermen are facing a tough time to search for the space to dry their fishing nets, and also to store the equipment used for fishing. Even fishermen have no place to dry the fish.
Savio Castelo, one of the land losers for Benaulim prawn hatchery urged the government to hand over the land back to the original owners so that it can be utilised.
“If the government is not serious towards the reviving of the hatchery, it is high time to give back the land to us. We can utilise it for other purposes or we all fishermen can come together and make best use of the land for fishing activities”, he urged.
However, now the fate of the revival of the Benaulim prawn hatchery will depend on the future government to be formed after the upcoming elections. The present status and indication from the fisheries minister only points out that the finalisation of the bids to revive the project has failed to take off on time. And hence, the land measuring to nearly 10 hectares will be left unused, and will create more mess and nuisance, for another few years.
