Bharat Mukti Morcha rejects talks on fishing rights violations

Bharat Mukti Morcha rejects suggestions to hold any talks on fishing rights violations in Zuari river. Through occasions and petition to various authorities Bharat Mukti Morcha has already made its stand clear that all the hurdles in the way of fishing communities in Zuari coming from Tourism, water sports, trawlers etc must be cleared away. 

February 22, 2015 Triathlon - whose location partner was advertised as Hotel Grant Hyatt  that has violated environmental laws - caused damage and destruction of fishing activities in Zuari river. Caritas- Goa has come to claim that this was organised in their aid for a 'good cause' of supporting HIV positive children. Irrespective of the cause it is on record that this even has caused terrible disruption to the fishing activities in Zuari and Bharat Mukti Morcha will continue to oppose without yielding to any corporate arm-twisting tactic through any of the NGOs.

On 16th March 2015 Assistant Director of Caritas- Goa Fr.Savio Maria Fernandes called up Maggie Silveira to talks. After consulting communities on Zuari shore offer was rejected the next day March 17, 2015.

Hotel Grand Hyatt as its location partner has derived great mileage in accumulating legitimacy for its illegalities. It is immoral and politically suicidal to associate with such a project. This is just a novel way of operations adopted by Bamon Raj. Caritas-Goa has Bamon Felipe Neri Ferrao as its ex-officio President and Fr.Maverick Fernandes as its Director. Fr.Maverick in sms communication to Rohidas Andrade, Bambolim convenor of Bharat Mukti Morcha has claimed that "We are very much committed to the preservation of the locals. For your info we have persistently taken up the causes of traditional occupations without any hesitations always". He however missed to admit that he is still hesitating to take up the cause of large amount of agricultural land displaced from the tribals when Church sold it for Ciba-Geigy to set up industry that is today known as Syngenta in Corlim, Tiswadi. 

Fr.Maverick is still to public to take up the cause of illegal and immoral sale of Vanxim by the current Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao who is also Caritas-Goa Ex-officio President. Why Fr.Maverick not taking up these issue of the locals? Because he will have to confront the Archbishop who is a culprit. Fr.Maverick Fernandes (does) have guts and courage to confront his own Archbishop. If he does then he is sure to be stripped off his positions in Caritas - Goa as well as CSJP. 

His contention is that Triathlon of February 22, 2015 was not organised by Hotel Grand Hyatt but by an NGO. Fine. True. Then this NGO collaborated with Hotel Grand Hyatt as location partner. Even Director of Fisheries Sharmila Monteiro remarked that it was unfortunate that this Hotel Grand Hyatt was its location partner. Indirect collaboration is in any way a collaboration. And the event was organised in aid of Caritas-Goa. The posters were placed all over Panjim city. This is really an ethical issue for Caritas to grapple with.

This Triathlon was repeated one month later on March 22, 2015 with fresh set of fishing rights violations. Bharat Mukti Morcha protested the repeat violations. Caritas - Goa with Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao as its Ex-officio President  has been transformed into corporate buffer punching agency.

Multiple fishing rights violations in Zuari river

On March 22, 2015 there were multiple violations of fishing rights in Zuari river. In the morning from 9.15 am onward there was disruption of fishing activities mainly due to water sports activities facilitated by Hotel Grand Hyatt. Four doubled motored boats were in the river in addition to two single motored ones. So all together there were six of them. Bharat Mukti Morcha protested via sms campaign called for permanent halt to water sports activities in Zuari river.

In the evening at 5.15 pm four trawlers were fishing in Zuari with active nexus with Director of Fisheries.

Marauding trawlers continues to prowl in Zuari

On March 16, 2015 afternoon at 2.30 pm 4 trawlers were seen engaged in illegal fishing in Zuari river. Most of the time this is done either with connivance of the Director of Fisheries and other time through Minister of fisheries. Superintendent of  fisheries too has major role to encourage illegal trawling in Zuari.

On March 18, 2015 morning at 7.00 am there were 20 trawlers in Zuari river. This was a day of Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections and trawlers had a field day with active connivance of Fisheries department who engaged in inaction.

Inaction of Fisheries department may cause widespread unrest

On March 08, 2015 there were 7 trawlers engaged in illegal trawling in Zuari river. If this trend continues then there may be widespread unrest in the state of Goa against Bamon Raj.

On March 09, 2015 there were 9 trawlers engaged in illegal trawling at 9.45 am. Then in the evening at 4.15 there as massive violation of fishing rights with 30 trawlers engaging in illegalities. The text of the protest sms circulated over mobile phones "30 trawlers now engaged in illegal fishing in Zuari. Fisheries department and Police lethargic. Illegalities causing plundering of Zuari. BMM condemns Goa Government for this."

On March 10, 2015 there were 9 trawlers illegally fishing in Zuari river at 3.00 pm. Director of Fisheries not willing to crackdown on illegal trawling in Zuari river.

On March 11, 2015 there were two trawlers engaged in illegal fishing in Zuari river at 12.15 pm.

Illegal fishing continues into March

Its one week into March and illegal fishing continues to leave its trail in Zuari river. at 9.45 am today 2 trawlers engaged in illegal trawling. At 3.45 pm 4 trawlers were fishing in Zuari. Police when contacted disclosed that their two patrol boats damaged and without fuel respectively.

Director of Fisheries matronizing illegal trawling in Zuari river?

At 3.45 pm today 9 trawlers were indulging in illegal fishing practice. Director of Fisheries seems to be matronizing parallel economy by letting soft on offending trawlers.

Dialogue has no effect on Director of Fisheries?

Bharat Mukti Mocha delegation of 30 people had just concluded dialogue with Director of Fisheries and Superintendent of Fisheries two days ago yet the illegal trawling in Zuari river has not stopped. Today there were 16 trawlers actively engaged in illegalities at 7.00 am. And in the evening at 6.00 pm there were 6 trawlers doing the same.

Field inspection of illegalities of Hotel Grand Hyatt

Superintendent of Fisheries Rishikesh conducted inspection of  illegalities involving fishing rights violations in Zuari river. It is however destined that no illegalities will go on record as the Superintendent of fisheries is personally share a nexus with Hotel Grand Hyatt. He arrived at 5.00 pm when just 15 minutes before his arrival 16 trawlers were in Zuari river. And then suddenly all of them zoomed up into Arabian Sea. Superintendent of Fisheries is suspected to have called up trawlers and instructed them to move off the river. 

Bharat Mukti Morcha delegation called on Director of Fisheries

30 member delegation led by Maggie Silveira called on the director of Fisheries Sharmila Monteiro today 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.

Massive illegal unsustainable trawler fishing in Zuari

At 1.30 pm today 20 trawlers engaged in illegal fishing. At 6.00 pm the number shot up to 30 trawlers. Minister of Fisheries Avatano Furtado was contacted. He promised to act but did not or at least not visible in impact. Police were contacted by Rohidas Andrade; the reply he received from them at Harbour coastal polcie station is that out of the two boats one has suffered breakdown and the other one was without fuel.