Chapora river and its illegal damaging dredging

The impugned approval granted for maintenance dredging at the mouth of River Chapora is ex facie illegal, arbitrary, and contrary to binding statutory records and precautionary environmental principles. Official records of the Directorate of Fisheries (01.12.2020) categorically notify the Chapora river stretch covering Badem, Morjim, Chopdem, Siolim, Oxel/Guddem and Danda as fishing villages and fish breeding and nursery grounds, forming protected livelihood and ecologically sensitive zones. 

Further, the GCZMA’s own “Carrying Capacity of Beaches of Goa” planning criteria explicitly classify areas with the presence of fishing villages and creeks as “No Activity Areas,” thereby prohibiting intrusive activities such as dredging. Despite this, approval has been accorded ignoring Fisheries data, carrying capacity norms, and the Forest Department’s written objections highlighting risks to turtle nesting beaches at Morjim/Mandrem and avifauna habitats on the river island, and recommending a comprehensive EIA through a reputed institution. Grant of approval without resolving these objections, without cumulative impact assessment on hydrodynamics, sediment transport, fisheries, and coastal stability, and in disregard of the precautionary principle and CRZ Notification, renders the decision unsustainable in law and warrants immediate suspension and revocation in the interest of environmental protection and traditional fishing livelihoods.

Hence GCZMA should not have given permission. They should have directed the party to first get the EIA done, The GCZMA permission is illegal.

Goa Forest under development aggression

Stripped Tiger and two cubs are moving around in Tuem, Pernem as per information received 24 hours ago. Forests of Pernem are facing aggression from Mopa Airport, Tourism cum real estste projects and irresponsible Forest administration in Goa that engages in innumerable sabotage. The situation is moving into dangerous phase after India "annexed Goa through conquest" in 1961 as Supreme Court of India noted in Gosalia Judgement. Democracy has proved to be conduit to current state of affairs with buying and selling of votes.

However we are happy to note Ray of hope from Morjim youth to fight back and protect nature and indigenous people in Pernem. We express our support to Mayur Shedgaokar and his newly formed team in Morjim.

Letter to Goa Fisheries Minister objecting Goa Rivers as National Waterways

Date: 07^th February 2018

To,

The Minister of Fisheries,

Government of Goa, Secretariat,

Porvorim, Goa

   

Subject: Objections to declaration of Goa’s Rivers as National Waterways

Sir,

We have noted that for past two months you have being carrying on series of dialogues across Goa including at Morjim and Caranzalem. One of the persistent issues raised at these meetings is about objections to declaration of Goa’s rivers as National Waterways. We wish to state as follows:

1.      We have already filed our objections with Captain of Ports on these issue on two occasions dealing in detail. However for your immediate reference we share online links to the same. The first letter is here:

http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2017/11/objections-to-declaration-of-goa-rivers.html

The second letter is here: 

http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2017/12/serious-objections-to-signing-any-mou.html

You may certainly know that our two complaints are mentioned in Goa Assembly reply on this issue by Ports Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar on December 18, 2017 in response to question raised by MLA Reginaldo Lourenco.

2.      Secondly we request you to read up the transcripts of the speech of MLA Vijay Sardessai in Goa Legislative Assembly delivered on 08/08/2016. He waged strongest criticism on this subject. He stated that Goa’s rivers are going to be without fish.

3.      Thirdly, we draw your attention to the highly objectionable text of draft MoU given by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to Benaulim Churchill Alemao on December 11, 2017 at Menezes Braganza Hall, Panjim in your presence. Here is an extract of this text

“Ensure unrestricted development and utilization of National Waterways by regulating the existing fishing activities carried through stake net fishing, barrier net, River gill, river cages and fishing by any registered gear. Views of local fishermen area shall however be taken into consideration before finalization of a site for development by COP and IWAI”

As a Goa’s Fisheries Minister of Goa it is your duty to defend fishing spaces as well as defend fishermen for it is favorite diet of hundreds of people of Goa. If you do not object this then effect on fishing will be severe blow. 

In the light of the above we call upon you to do the following:

1.      Write to Government of India to exclude Goa’s rivers as National Waterways as past Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has given his consent without consenting people of Goa and even Goa Cabinet.

2.      Install study mechanism in place at Goa Fisheries department to defend Fisheries. We have already submitted our letter to you dated 14/12/2017 requesting you to set up Fisheries Defense Study Cell. Here is online links to our letter to you:

http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2017/12/call-to-set-up-fisheries-defence-study.html

Kindly act swiftly or else this lead to unpredictable irreversible and dangerous consequences to Food Security in Goa. We request you to act boldly just the way you did in earlier cases of removing Director of Fisheries, banning LED fishing and bull fishing, defending fishing in Zuari River from illegal fishing by Trawlers and per seine boats.

We assure you of our co-operation and support to you.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

Maggie Silveira,

President, Goa State

Sanjay Pereira

Convener, Cacra unit  

Rohidas Andrade

Convener, Bambolim unit

Socorro Braganza

Convener, Siridao Unit

Anthony Cardozo

Convener, Curca Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convener, Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convener, Nauxi unit

Ms. Kalpana Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Honu Divkar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxi Unit

Yeshwant Shirvoikar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant,

Co-convener, Odxel unit

Amir Mardolkar,

Co-convener, Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho,

Co-convener, Nauxim Unit

Ms. Jaya Kuttikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Jonu Shirvoikar,

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ms. Sheila D’mello,

Co-convener, Cacra Unit

Ashok Kukalkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ganashyam Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel

Uttam Martins

C0-convener, Odxel Unit

Rohit Hadkonkar,

Co-convenor, Bambolim Unit
 

Sanju Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit,

Chandrakanth Rosario

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Vijay Sawant

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ragunath Sautodkar

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Mahadev Andre Rosario

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Morjim fishermen silence Goa Fisheries minister on National Waterways issue

There was a meeting held on the 5th of Jan 2018 by the fisheries department.  In Morjim for the purpose of hearing the grievances of the fisherman of Pernem taluka. There were fisherman mostly from Morjim  and some even from Keri.

The Goa Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyenkar was present along with Dayanand Sopte MLA of Mandrem.

In the meeting the fisherman put down there grievances and also stated that there was a certain person known as "gautam singhania" who comes with his fleet of jets-ski in the river Chapora and disrupts the local fishing and the coastal police take no action.  

The people also complained about a certain  floating restaurant called (waterman) that is anchored in the river Chapora and that it plays loud music and stob lights disrupting the local way of living and affects the sensitivity of the eco-system of the river 

The fisheries Minister was also asked about the nationalization of rivers and especially the river Chapora and that if it is allowed it will affect the local fishing to a great degree. On hearing this the fisheries Minister said that such a thing was impossible. One person at the meeting  pointed out the exact article of the MoU before the legislative assembly that seeks to restrict fishing activities.

On hearing this Minister said that he promises in the name of the local temple that such a thing will not be allowed. 

One person at the meeting pointed out that his promise stands for nothing and that his promise has no power in front of the law. To this the minister had no answer.

After this the fisherman gave the minister the letter that stated that the village of Morjim  is against the nationalization the river Chapora.

Aaron Fernandes

Is Morjim under corporate dictatorship?

According to information received Temb vaddo in Morjim is again tense after private security of corporate entity has taken over the Southern Tip of Morjim for past few weeks. Details are not known. Corporate has been trying to take over the picturesque Southern Morjim since 1996 and here is online ling to that story.  According to information received same corporate has deployed private security all over South of Morjim. Morjim comes under the Mandrem constituency. Further investigations are needed.  Below is Catholic Chapel in Morjim at Temb vaddo.

Past links to the struggle of Morjim in 1996 can be found below with links:http://m.goanews.com/news_details.php?id=323

It's now Morjim villagers fighting anti-people tourism

 07 November 1996 23:29 IST

Morjim - a picturesque village situated on the banks of Chapora river in North Goa - is still peaceful, unaffected by tourist influx. But Temb, a small locality of traditional fishermen situated on the bay at one end of Morjim, is burning with fury and protests.

It's nothing unusual if one digs into the history, the way "star tourism" entered the state since early '80s. Almost half of the land at Temb, a strategic area surrounded from all three sides by river Chapora and the Arabian sea, is bought by one "outsider" to build a three-star hotel.

The traditional fisherfolk community, comprising 99 per cent of the total population at Temb, is threatened with its community living coming to an end. They are now up in arms, not to get maximum benefits from the hotel but to stall the project itself.

M/s Excelsior Hotels, owned by P V Mani, a Calcutta-based businessman, has bought over 49,000 sq. mts of land from three land owners in the area. The property begins from the river bank and ends at the Arabian sea, with coconut and cassurina trees all over the beachline. While the road going to the beach divides a small chapel on the river side, the fishermen live on the other side of the road.

"We have only eight houses including the owner's vacant house and a chapel in the property. We are also ready to leave the space earmarked as per the tenancy act to the seven tenants staying in the property", claims Leao Dias, a local businessman who looks after Mr Mani's proposed hotel project here.

"No. Total 13 families are directly affected due to the project. But surprisingly, the remaining houses are not shown on the survey map. And what if the remaining area is also bought over by the hotel owner", ask the aggrieved villagers.

As found in any coastal village of fisherfolk, the beachline is also used here for anchoring their small fishing boats and the river bank for casual fishing. Building small boat sheds during monsoons to protect their canoes is also a common feature. But they are now "instructed" by the new owner to shift their boat sheds elsewhere, which can be only outside the property, far away from the beach.

The tiny beach is also famous for migratory birds found here from September to May - a major tourist attraction for foreigners. The sea turtles, found only at Temb in the whole of Goa, is protected by the forest department with utmost care. Being a peaceful place, beach shacks make a good business here with hordes of foreign tourists visiting this place, providing seasonal occupation to over 10 shack owners.

Living as the "friends of the sea", even the religious festivals of Catholics and Hindus residing in the area are part of the seashore activities. May it be the immersion of Ganesh, the procession during the feast of Catholics or the traditional dramas held during festivals, the beachline is being used by the villagers for all such social activities.

"These new owners are least bothered about our social life or traditional living. Why should we welcome anything in the name of development if it threatens our very existence", asks Olavo Fernandes, a shack owner. He is equally worried that his regular foreign customers would either be tapped by the giant hotelier or the tourists may stop coming as it would not be peaceful any more.

Enraged with the invasion, the villagers have not only put up a banner "stop displacement of Morjim villagers" on the road, but they even stormed the taluka town of Pernem and capital city of Panaji with dharnas and morchas. But no political party, the local sarpanch or the MLA - state minister Sangita Parab - have come for the rescue. They are now planning to meet union law minister Ramakant Khalap, the MP and the former MLA, to seek "justice".

Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fouz (JGF), the NGO fighting against ill-effects of tourism, is spearheading the agitation. "We don't want tourism at the cost of livelihood of Goans. The only way to seek justice is waging a militant struggle against the pro-star tourism government policies", says Roland Martins, the JGF leader.

But Leao Dias, who invited Mr Mani to Goa to set up the hotel project, dismisses all the allegations. "Why should we do something against the interest of the locals ? They don't realise that this project would bring development to their area. It will provide jobs to them, in the hotel as well as other activities connected with the hotel", he claims.

According to Mr Dias, except the misguided locals at Temb, the rest of the village is supporting the project. Not to let down the locals, he claims, they have been assured of protecting their houses as per the provisions of tenancy act. "I have even assured them of providing a new road passing through the locality and renovation of the chapel."

While Mr Dias denies, the locals believe that the existing road going to the beach would be blocked and the chapel will have to be shifted elsewhere. Dismissing the allegation of shifting the boat sheds, he says Mr Mani has even agreed to the request made by the panchayat to construct a fishing jetty at the river bank for the local fishermen.

As claimed by Dias, one Gerlad Fernandes, an ex-Army officer, is instigating the locals with misinformation as he had a quarrel with the previous owner and is interested in contesting panchayat elections. But the locals consider Capt. Gerald as their leader, the only well-educated person in the locality.

The whole issue came to light early this year when Mr Dias lodged a police complaint against Capt. Gerald for constructing an extension to his house. The latter claims that he was reconstructing the collapsed wall of his kitchen while the former shows the photographs to prove that he was extending the house with new construction.

This small incident sparked a clash between the hotel owners and the affected locals, resulting in both sides filing complaints and counter-complaints. The villagers now allege that the owners, with the help of the security guards, have begun threatening and attacking them. But the action is taken because they have been stealing coconuts and cutting trees in our property, claims Mr Dias.

Capt. Gerald even suspects hand of underworld criminals behind the project and demands thorough investigation by the intelligence agencies and income tax officials into the property and assets of the owner. "Why otherwise they are so secretive about the whole project", he asks.

"We have no secrets to hide. But the project report is yet to be prepared. Roughly we have decided that the hotel will have 40 to 50 rooms, a swimming poll etc and all such things which are found in any three-star hotel", says Mr Dias.

Mr Martins, the JGF leader, alleges that the hotel company is trying get the coastal regulation zone changed as no construction is allowed within 100 mts from the river and 200 mts from the high tide line of sea. But Mr Dias refutes it stating that no plans have yet been submitted to the concerned government authorities. "We will not violate any regulations", he claims.

But for the locals, they are not prepared to accept the project even if all the legal requirements are met with. "It's a direct threat to our fishing profession. Our social life is endangered with it", says Anton Fernandes, a fisherman.

The present mood is so anti-Excelsior that the locals are not prepared to take any work offered by the hotel company. Prakash Sattaji, a mason, says he won't take any construction work of the hotel company even if tempting sums are offered. "Our local owners don't sell even a piece of land to us to build houses, but allow outsiders to come and destroy our village life. Why to survive on such sinful money", he asks furiously.

The villagers are even enraged with locals, from other locality of the Morjim village, taking up job as security guards of the hotel company. They look at it as a divide and rule tactic as the rest of the village would automatically go against Temb once they raise a quarrel with the security personnel. But Mr Dias prefers to employ locals to provide employment while the protesters also harass the outsiders, he alleges.

While the local protesters are firm on not allowing the project under any circumstances, Mr Dias claims he is prepared to shift the project if the villagers of Morjim, and not settlers of Temb alone, don't favour it. In the same breath, he claims support from the majority of the villagers.

Most of the star hotels have come up in the state in the similar manner, without even violating the law of the land initially, but by destroying the social fabric of Goa. There are few exceptions who have maintained the village life, making it a tourist attraction. The government is also embracing such social and cultural invasion, in the name of tourism development.

Morjim is yet another example of such aggression, which is bound to destroy the traditional life style of Goa. It was a decade ago the villagers of Agonda, in the southernmost Canacona taluka, had successfully stalled the Seema Hotels project for similar reasons. Whether Morjim, part of the northernmost Pernem taluka, follow the suit or not is yet to be seen.

Goa Tourism Master Plan 2016: who are masters? Who are slaves?

Press release: Goa Tourism Master Plan

This interim tourism Master Plan and Policy was put up on website www.goatourism.gov.in  on 24^th August 2016

Module 3 last date for comments was 4^th September 2016. Objections were to be mailed to goatourismmasterplan@gmail.com

Public was given 16 days for comments, pretty atrocious by any standards.

 Bharat Mukti Morcha objects following and shares here for public awareness purpose:

1.      Page 15: Consider the entire State as tourism development area. Culture of Goa is fishing and agriculture. It must be protected from tourism at all costs.

2.      Page 23: Fishermen Market and F&B Court at Britona, Siridao and Mobor. Captioned as Goa’s number one source of fresh sea food.” Domestic consumers of fish to be deprived as fish will be costly and with demands from tourism.

3.      Page 24: High End music venue paired with luxury lifestyle resort in Baga, Calangute and Candolim Beach with biggest clubs in India in one of these three beaches.

4.      Page 24: High end lifestyle beach club paired with luxury lifestyle resort at Cavelossim, Palolem, Arambol, Vagathor and Anjuna Beach with day and night atmosphere of music.

5.      Page 25: Eco-beach (Resort): Pure Eco-beach and Eco Resorts at Querim, Mandrem, and Morjim in Pernem and Agonda, Patnem and Palolem, Talpona and Galgibag beach. Captioned as “Built in harmony with nature and hence with minor impact on environment.”

6.       Page 25: Marinas in Mandovi river at Britonna, Nauxi Bay and Chicalim. Fishermen directly affected. There is already opposition to the same from 2010.

7.      Page 31: Cultural Events, Music day and night atmosphere. Actually there will be drinks and food. This must not be allowed where St. Francis Xavier walked. Old Goa is a place of religious sanctity. This must be rejected, and Religious values must not be hurt.

8.      Page 32: Goa Multicultural experience at Old Goa Church. Has office of the Archbishop of Goa endorsed this? Or is it another scam like Vanxim sale? For the said purpose the Archeology Survey of India has given permission? As it is place of complete sanctify of high religious values.

9.      Page 36: Discovery River Cruises: Chapora River, Cumbharjua canal, Mandovi River and Zuari River. Tourism has already caused irreversible damage to Goa’s beaches. Fishermen are to be directly impacted through dredging as well as tourism through boat rides.

10.  Page 37: Divar island along with eastern Goa has been demarcated for “Slow Movement Wellness centres”. There is already one such centre in Divar that releases its effluent in Mandovi river near Vanxim. Tourism Master Plan is silent on what is to be done with such cases. In module 2 page nos 47 & 48 in fact names this entity as Devaaya – Ayurveda and Nature Cure Centre. Can continues daily release of effluents in Mandovi river part of its ethics? Part of Tourism Department ethics? Daily release of effluents gives out obnoxious odor to people around as well as staff of Ferry services plying between Vanxim and Divar.

11.  Page 37: Nature Sanctuaries to be opened up for tourism. This is disruption of wild life. The question about cordoning off access to forest for tribal people and blockade to through digging of trenches to prevent cattle grazing of tribal people has been kept under wraps.

12.  Page 42: Waterfront Promenades  (dancing floors on land at water’s edge) at Old Goa, Chapora, Panjim, Mayem lake and Colva beach. This is a must to stop as it would cause lot of social damage to everyone especially the youth.

13.  Page 42: Family Entertainment District inclusive of Themed Park. Entire Pernem Taluka is marked with pointer towards proposed Mopa Airport and termed as “District”. Goa already has two districts. Is Pernem going to be third district? Are People of Goa taken in confidence on declaring Pernem Taluka as third district? Captioned as “A leisure and entertainment hub for the family offering a themed park, F&B, shopping, and accommodation.” Pernem already has Golf Course proposal in Tiracol along with luxury hotel of Leading Hotels. Mopa airport EIA records plans for Golf Course in Mopa itself. Luxury hotels are shown in beaches of Pernem a Querim, Mandrem, and Morjim.

14.   Page 43: Chapora Bay and Chicalim Bay has been proposed as Gaming districts. This means Panjim off shore casinos will be shifted at these two venues. Two areas will be marked exclusively for casinos and this is direct blow to fishing allied activities.

15.  Page 43: Up-gradation of nightlife across Goa. People of Goa must be prepared to go without sleep. Night life must be stopped completely as it is destruction of Youth. Many Youth are hooked on drugs due to such night life parties. Even school students are attracted to this menace.

16.  Page 44: Golf Course at Mopa. There is already opposition to Golf Courses in Tiracol and Vanxim. Water requirement for maintaining of Golf Course is not mentioned.

17.  Page 48: Mass Events at Vagator beach, Candolim beach and Shyma Prasad Indoor Stadium. Are local people consulted before making this proposal public? We object such mass events.

18.  Page 55: Mode of Transport through water is in direct confrontation with fishermen. Cruise Terminal at MPT is mentioned as attracting international cruise travelers. MPT is also causing harm to local fishermen at Khariavaddo. Then Sea based inter-state transportation of tourists is proposed at Tiracol Fort, Chapora River Basin, Fort Aguada, Dona Paula/ Panjim-Old Goa, Mormugao Port, Colva beach, Mobor Beach/ River Sal/ Cabo-de-Rama, River Talpona/ Polem. Jetties are proposed to be built in these venues.  These Jetties then can support Ferry Services, Catamaran Ferry, Sea Buses, Speed boats and Sea Planes to ferry tourists.

19.  Page 55: Mopa Aiport is expected to handle 13.1 million passengers by 2036 with focus on Free Independent Travellers (FITs). Mopa airport is not needed when Dabolim serve Goa well.

20.  Page 75 of module 2 proposes State subsidy for Hotels as well as single window clearances. It is using public funds for public ruin. BMM opposes the same.

Goa government tourism department believes that people of Goa are incapable to plan their own future and needs Swiss agency to draw up the Tourism master plan and policy for Goa. Goa is fully equipped with qualified personalities do to the required success oriented requirements to up lift Goa’s Development as required by Goans.

The nomenclature used is “Tourism Master Plan” One such Tourism Master Plan was opposed chiefly by students and youth in 1987. Now after 29 years another one is proposed.

Who is a master? Who is a Slave? If there is a master plan there has to somebody who is to be enslaved. Needlessly this nomenclature of “Master Plan” does not fit. And target of enslavement are People of Goa, Land of Goa and Ecology of Goa.

We call upon the People of Goa to read, study & we need to move fast and decisively to object the Tourism Master Plan 2016. It is mentioned in that it’s a draft which could be final – So lets go for it as committed Goans, for us & our future Generations.

 Sd/-

Maggie Silveira

President

Goa State Unit