Date: November 05, 2020
All Goa Small Scale Responsible
Fisheries Union calls for scrapping of Marina project in Zuari river at Nauxim
Goa on following grounds:
1. Lease deed of Kargwal
constructions private Limited and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) dated 12/10/2010
for approximately 1,00,000 square meters of water front of Zuari river for 30
years at the rate of Rs.4.87 per square meter per month is ill conceived from
the beginning by vested interests to expel fishers from Zuari river and trigger
food insecurity.
2. The lease agreement doesn't even
acknowledge existence of fishing activities in Zuari river even though its
permitted by Goa Fisheries department.
3. The lease agreement that is
based upon the decisions of MPT that has ignored fishing activities in Zuari River
as evident from the minutes. The sole criteria cited in the minutes to lease
out Zuari River without consulting local traditional fishers is to generate
incomes for MPT even if that requires expulsion of fishing activities.
4. The lease agreement that is
based upon the Ports Land Policy prepared by Union Union ministry of Shipping
is based on unjust principles that ignore fishing activities in Zuari river.
5. The Union government asserting
its Jurisdiction over Zuari river and bestowing powers to MPT through a gazette
notification of May 24, 2000 was done in an unethical manner without consulting
with communities who are involved in fishing inside Zuari river for time
immemorial. The consequences of such a nefarious act are the expulsion of
fishing communities from Zuari River. All notifications of Central government
extending MPT jurisdictions over Zuari River must be immediately withdrawn to
avoid expulsion of fishers from Zuari River.
6. The ecological dangers of Marina
to marine ecology are officially placed on record by Goa Bio-diversity Board in
case of Yatch Haven marina by Chowgules inside Zuari River on Sancoale river
front. Same report is relevant to Nauxim Marina too.
7. Fishing communities are opposing
marina at Nauxim based on their wisdom accumulated over the centuries. As per
their understanding Marina project at Nauxim will destroy both human habitat at
river coast as well fish habitats in Zuari River. Fisheries will suffer to an
unimaginable extent.
8. The understanding of fishers
that it will destroy fisheries is confirmed by the impact quantification
calculations presented in the EIA report prepared for Nauxim marina and put out
in public domain by Goa State Pollution Control Board.
9. The joint reading of Tables 5.2
and 5.9 reveals that Fisheries in Zuari River will have permanent negative
impact of the nature that is major, long-term and irreversible. Fisheries can
be destroyed in this manner only if marine environments are destroyed and the
cited tables do indicate major long term negative impacts to marine environment.
10. The laws and policies of India
that provide powers to Ports overriding the existing fishing activities are
based upon unethical foundations of injustice, inequality, impoverishment,
livelihood destruction, damage to marine ecology and promoting food
insecurity. These laws and policies needs to be done away with urgently.
11. Marina at Nauxim is combined
assault on livelihood of fishing communities from several Coastal villages on
Zuari river northern and southern bank and on food security of several people
who are dependent upon fish as an ingredient of their food.
12. Ignoring all the above points
on October 05, 2020 Kargwal Constructions private limited from Sion, Mumbai has
filed Writ of Mandamus at the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court against State of
Goa. Writ has called upon the Court to determine (a) whether Public
Consultation is required as it is mandatory requirement by law, and (b) whether
indefinite postponement of environmental public hearing in case of "Ahoy
Marina" at Nauxim is unjust to the project proponent.
13. As last 10 years of public
struggle has ensured non-enforcement of marina at Nauxim it is now urgent that
the project be scrapped totally by cancellation of the lease deed itself rather
than put the issue languishing for further litigations causing tensions and
unrest to the fishing communities of Goa.
You are called upon to act decisively on the above matter.
Roque Menezes
(President)
