Date:
13th July 2015
|
1
To,
The
Governor,
Government
of Goa
Dona
Paula, Goa
|
2
To,
The
Chief Minister,
Government
of Goa
Secretariat,
Porvorim, Goa
|
|
3
To,
The Minister
of Fisheries,
Government
of Goa,
Secretariat,
Porvorim,
Goa
|
4
To,
The
Chief Secretary,
Government
of Goa,
Secretariat,
Porvorim,
Goa
|
|
5
To,
The
Secretary (Fisheries)
Government
of Goa,
Secretariat,
Porvorim, Goa
|
6
To,
The
Principal Secretary (Environment)
Secretariat,
Porvorim, Goa
|
|
7
To,
The Commissioner
& Secretary (Ports)
Secretariat,
Porvorim, Goa
|
8
To,
Minister
of Environment and Forest,
Secretariat,
Panjim, Goa
|
|
9
To,
The
Captain of Ports,
Panjim,
Goa
|
10
To,
The
Collector (North Goa),
Government
of Goa
Panjim,
Goa
|
|
11
To,
The Collector
(South Goa)
Government
of Goa,
Margao,
Goa
|
12
To,
The
Director-General of Police (DGP)
Police
Headquarters,
Panjim,
Goa
|
|
13
To,
The
Superintendent of Police (North Goa)
Porvorim,
Goa
|
14
To,
Vishnu
Surya Wagh
The
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), St. Andre Constituency, Goa
|
Subject:
Violation of monsoon fishing ban in Goa and fishing rights violations with
active connivance of Director of Fisheries, Government of Goa
Madam / Sir
This is to bring to your notice that
mechanized trawlers are involved in violation of monsoon fishing ban in Goa
from June 01, 2015 to August 31, 2015.
1. It has been observed that on June 01, 2015
from 5 am onwards there were 8 mechanized trawlers fishing illegally in Zuari
near Siridao-Odxel coast.
2. Bharat Mukti Morcha Cacra Unit convener spoke
to Director of Fishieries Sharmila Monteiro as well as Superintendent of
Fisheries Mr.Hrishikesh. Both did not commit to stop ongoing fishing ban
violations in Zuari River.
3. What witnessed today in Zuari River is double
violations of fishing rights. Firstly trawlers are prohibited to carry on
fishing within five kilometers from the shore. So fishing in Zuari River is out
of question. Secondly now beginning from June 01st 2015 there is ban
on mechanized trawlers from fishing for two months. Illegal Fishing by 8
trawlers on June 01st 2015 inflicted twin fishing rights violations.
4. Director of Fisheries, Shamila Monteiro was
non-co-operative in cracking down on illegal fishing in Zuari and instead is
pushing for compromise. Bharat Mukti Morcha does not believe in compromise and
if Director of Fisheries Sharmila Monteiro wishes to have her way out of this
fishing conflict then Bharat Mukti Morcha also will have our way out and will
have our way out to defend fishing rights of traditional fishermen in zuari
river.
5. Bharat Mukti Morcha notes that fishing rights
of traditional fishermen in Goa and India are result of hard fought battles by
traditional fishermen ‘Ramponkars’ since late 1970s and will not tolerate any
bullying from Director of Fisheries. The behavior of Director of Fisheries in
defending violation of monsoon ban on fishing in telephonic conversation with
Sanjay Pereira, Cacra Convener of Bharat Mukti Morcha on June 01, 2015 is
irresponsible to the core. What is most shocking is that the Director spoke
objecting fishermen sending sms communications to her about illegal trawlers in
river from time to time.
6. In addition to glaring early fishing rights
violation of June 01, 2015 recently there have been five more fishing rights
violations.
7. On May 31, 2015 nine trawlers carried on
illegal fishing in Zuari river at 10.55 am.
8. On May 30, 2015 at 7.10 am two big mechanized
trawlers carried on illegal, unethical fishing very close to the Bambolim-Cacra
shore in river Zuari. On May 29, 2015 at 2.00 pm two trawlers carried on
illegal fishing in river Zuari.
9. On May 01, 2015 at 3.30 pm two trawlers
carried on illegal fishing in river Zuari.
10. On April 30, 2015 at 5.15 pm two trawlers
carried on illegal fishing in river Zuari.
All the above violations of fishing rights in
Zuari have occurred because of unstinted support to these illegalities on
behalf of Director of Fisheries Shamila Monteiro.
Bharat
Mukti Morcha condemns such a behavior by the Director of Fisheries Shamila
Monteiro and advises Government of Goa to terminate her as Director of
Fisheries as she is fit only to mismanage Goa’s fisheries by violating fishing
rights and justifying her wrong deeds.
Our earlier correspondence to you has placed
on record detail instances of fishing rights violations from October 2014
onwards.
Further we wish to put on record highly
inconsistent approach of the Fisheries department in Goa on illegal fishing. On
22.12.2014 Fisheries department through the Superintendent of Fisheries
directed those indulging in illegal fishing in Zuari not to carry on illegal
fishing in Zuari river threatening action against the defaulters. While the
same fishing department on 27.04.2015 through its Director Sharmila Monteiro
called meeting of the perpetuator trawler organizations and traditional boat
owners in Cacra to ‘discuss the ‘illegal
fishing activities in Zuari River by Trawlers’. This is disgustingly shocking
U-turn of the department of fisheries and this meeting was boycotted by
traditional fishermen. We are of the considered view backed by our experience
that such misadventure by Director of Fisheries is bound to promote
mismanagement of fisheries in Goa and we
recommend strict action against the Director of Fisheries. It is duty of
the Director of fisheries to stop trawlers from indulging in illegal fishing in
which Director has failed very badly. Instead she has been promoting violation
of existing law related to fishing that bans trawling within 5 kms from the
coastal shoreline, ban on fishing by trawlers during monsoon, etc.
30 member delegation led by President of
Bharat Mukti Morcha’s Goa Unit President Maggie Silveira called on the director
of Fisheries Sharmila Monteiro on March 02, 2015 even as the day was full of
illegalities in Zuari river with 20 trawlers in the morning at 7.45 am and 28
trawlers in the afternoon at 3.30 pm. During the meeting it came to the fore
that the illegal fishing of trawlers was being encouraged by the Director of
Fisheries herself. Department was engaged in scheduled patrolling to tackle
unscheduled illegal trawling. The schedule is of two hours in a day. When asked
as to what happens to illegal fishing control for the remaining 22 hours of the
day Director replied ‘God alone knows!’ Director promised to get Patrol boat in
Zuari River but did not give any deadline as to when the boat will arrive.
Director also disclosed that litigations have been initiated against the offending
trawlers caught by police and fisheries department. When asked whether there is
ban on trawlers to carry on fishing during the trial period, director answered
in negative. So the trawlers carry on repeated violations in this regard. The
example of trawler ‘Netra’ owned by Tulsidas Kukalkar was cited to prove this
point.
This is completely unacceptable and we call
for total ban on illegal fishing by trawlers in Zuari River with full
commitment from Department of Fisheries, Government of Goa.
Awaiting
your positive and prompt action and expect your action taken report (ATR),
Thanking
you in anticipation.
Yours
sincerely,
Sd/-
Maggie
Silveira
President,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Goa
State
Sd/-
Sanjay
Pereira
Convener,
Bharat Mutkti Morcha,
Cacra
unit
Sd/-
Rohidas
Andrade
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Bambolim
unit,
Sd/-
Soccoro
Braganza
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Siridao
Unit
Sd/-
Anthony
Cardozo
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Curca
Unit
Sd/-
Sitaram
Pereira
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Odxel
Unit
Sd/-
Milind
Palkar
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Nauxi
unit
Sd/-
Chandrakant
Lotlikar
Secretary,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Siridao
Unit
Sd/-
Deu
Kankonkar
Secretary,
Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Nauxi
Unit
Sd/-
Jeronio
D’Souza,
Jt.
Secretary, Bharat Mukti Morcha,
Siridao
Unit
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