State- Trawler nexus to destroyed Goa's fisheries

It has just come to our attention the following:

1. Five trawlers are carrying on illegal trawling in Zuari river today December 30, 2023 from 8.30 pm by switching off their lights.

2. The complaint is lodged with control room of the Fisheries department over the phone. 

3. Response from Fisheries Control room is of helplessness to do anything as there is no staff available to take the patrol boat from Panjim Jetty to Zuari river.

4. All the above indicate that there is match fixing between trawlers engaged in illegal night fishing and the Fisheries administration: nexus of corruption. 

5. Fisheries Minister of Goa is found to be incompetent to deal with the illegal trawling even in Zuari river most probable due to hefty bribes that Fisheries department receives. 

6. All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union calls for complete overhauling of Fisheries administration in Goa in the light of trawler loot of Zuari for over one month that both destroys marine ecology and deprives small scale fishers of their livelihood support system based on fishing.

When Journalism turns corporate propaganda machine: Praveen Sharna case on Nauxim Marina

 When Journalism turns Corporate Propoganda machinery...

https://www.gomantaktimes.com/opinion/a-marina-could-set-sail-goas-economic-prosperity

There is expansion in the PR team of Kargwal Constructions Private Limited from Mumbai. Latest product of consent manufacturing factory from Mumbai Gomantak group of Publications has featured Praveena Sharma. 

So far known PR team included Ashwin Tombat, Raju Nayak, Dr. Pramod Sawant, Shrinivas Dempo all harping in Marina economy in Croatia in Europe!

Sharma in 29 December 2023 Publication makes spirited attempt at advocacy of destructive AHOY Marina at Nauxim, Goa.

EIA Report of this marina has clearly stated that there is going to be major long term irreversible negative impact on Fisheries in Zuari river and yet these characters are still engaged in propaganda with all the Gomantaks - English, Marathi and TV channel making multi-pronged corporate driven, anti-fishing  propaganda.

Now Sharma article expands Goa's coastline by 55 kms from existing 105 kms to 160 kms without detailing geography of expanded coastline. Or possible Sharma just care a damn to accuracy in journalism. Its okay for propaganda work. If black crow is called red crow thousand times sufficient confusion will set in to actually consider black crow as red crow!

Article also rues over the hordes of budget tourists entering Goa and luxury hotels are facing economic crunch as room occupancy levels has dropped. So instead of advocating shutting down of luxury hotels article advocates destruction of Zuari river fishery by installing necessary infrastructure inside the Zuari river. 

Tourism has already destroyed Goa's coast, de facto privatized beaches like Marriots at Miramar, violated coastal Regulation zones like Hotel Grand Hyatt, Released its sewage underground pipelines in the rivers like Hotel Devaaya at Divar Island, Blocked fishing spaces like Casinos in Mandovi River, Destroyed sand dunes like Leela Kempensky at Cavelosim and you can expand the list further. 

AHOY Marina EIA Report has classified local villagers in Nauxim, Cacra and Odxel as "Shudras" which means slaves. Sharma is silent on these aspects and we don't know why though.

Tourism in its worst destructive mode over the past four decades is seeking to expand its destructive tentacles directly in the waters and expel fishing communities from their livelihood support system.

For all the characters named above only two things matter. First is profit. Second is imposing of caste based discrimination to promote social, political, economic, educational and cultural exploitation. 

Sharma narrative is one more addition to this and fit to be thrashed or displayed in Hall of Shame!

Clues to adress social stigma on fishing communities in Goa

Douay Rheims Bible. Matthew 4:18-22

[18]And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers).

[19]And he saith to them: Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men.

[20]And they immediately leaving their nets, followed him.

[21]And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them.

[22]And they forthwith left their nets and father, and followed him.

This is the story of James and Jebedee, story of Andrew and Peter. Four fishermen busy in fishing.

Jesus went to them at their place of work and called them to be the fishers of men.

Do we approach fishermen at work with nets the waters?

What is our relationship with fishermen of our times?

Do we trust fishermen? Or do we look at them with contempt?

What are the feelings of our heart when we think of fishermen and their families? They are dirty? Children of lesser God?

Do we treasure dignity for those doing fish work? Or do we stigmatize the fishing communities?

How deep rooted are the  bias against fishing communities in our thoughts and deeds?

Jesus trusted fishing communities to the extreme of giving keys of Heaven in the hands of a fisherman. What is our level of trust?

How comfortable are we to share genuine friendship with fishing communities of Goa?

What are the hesitations we experience in our thoughts while accepting fishing communities as worthy members in our family?

Do we treasure hatred and bias against fishing communities?

Will you trust leadership roles to fishing communities  like Jesus did?

How comfortable are you to accept person from fishing community into your inner circle of friends?

Can fishermen be your friend?

This is a test of our conscience. You will know the status only if you answer the above questions with sincerity.

"Kharvi - the Fishers" superb film by Loretti Pinto

The short five minutes video film "Kharvi - Fishers" provides glimpse into changing dynamics of Goa's Zuari river. 

https://youtu.be/ynaABJ5NZ7g?feature=shared

Film by Loretti Pinto explores depth of the fishers of Nauxim ( reffered as Nauxe in the film) village with sweeping historical narrative with fishermen from 1950s till present times in 2023 as first hand narrators of personal life stories. 

This film is with a difference in a sense that no experts are speaking in the film about fishing communities. Fishers themselves are presented as story tellers of their lives. In this sense film scores an edge in just one second less than five minutes. The film has English sub-titles and is accessible to wider audience across the world.

The Film was first screened on December 08, 2023 at an International workshop organised at Sancoale, Goa by BITS Pilani Goa campus and University of Witwatersrand, Johanasberg, South Africa as one part of presentation of paper titled "From livelihoods to sustainability: navigating small scale fishers' journey from victim to catalyst of change in Goa" jointly authored by Sebastiao Anthony Rodrigues, Lorette Joyce Pinto and Glenis Maria Mendonça. 

This presentation was done in the presence of four fishers of Zuari river in Goa, India namely Sanjay Faterpekar, Laximan Mangueshkar, Sanjay Kankonkar and Shekar Kuttikar who also participated in this international workshop. 

This film is made available online from today December 25, 2023 for pedagogical reasons that further ideas may flow from the collective intellectual engagement with fishing communities in Goa. Below is link to "Kharvi - the fishers"

https://youtu.be/ynaABJ5NZ7g?feature=shared

Do watch and organised its public sharing and public discussions. 

We place out gratitude to Loretti Pinto for her remarkable contribution. We wish her and her family blessed Christmas!

Goa Government is toothless to tackle cellular radiation

It is now clear...

It is now clear that without radiation measuring mechanism installation of mobile towers is wrong yet it is done. 

It's now clear that Directorate Health Services has no facilities to monitor radiation emitting from mobile towers anywhere in Goa as per reply of Dr. Atul Pai Bir, Medical Officer at CHC, Sankhali, Goa dated 16/10/2023 letter no. CSCS/HS/2023-24/2222.

It is also clear from plethora of studies available that mobile tower radiation has dangerous impacts on life including Human life.

It is also clear that State Government cares a hoot about radiation impacts on human life or any other life forms as there is no mechanism in place for radiation monitoring.

It is clear that this situation has come about because State government in Goa has totally come under control of the cellular industry that is dictating State policies dealing with Telecom issues and it's regular ammendments through behind-the-scene lobbying.

It is also clear that this stanglehold of cellular industry on the democratic institutions of Governance in Goa can be freed only through direct peoples assertions and activation of available public spaces and creation of new public spaces.

It is also clear that such spaces can be created and existing ones can be activated most vibrantly through direct face-to-face study meetings at least once a month with discipline. 

Let me know if anyone can volunteer time for for this purpose we can start off the process tackling Cellular industry in organised manner through activation of public spaces and creation of new spaces of dialogues on radiation in a small way to begin with.

Awaiting your response. 

Sebastian Rodrigues

9923336347

Illegal trawl fishing yet again!

Today December 19, 2023 from 10.00 pm 06 trawlers are carrying in illegal bottom trawling fishing in Zuari river from Siridao to Odxel withing two kilometers from the coastline. 

Fisheries Control has been informed but no action has come through so far.

Corruption in the Fisheries department in Goa has prevented effective patrolling system of Goa's coastal waters specially Zuari river.

Fisheries administration looks paralyzed and incapable of any effective action. Major overhaul is needed urgently.

Goa Fisheries Minister promotes fishing black economy?

 Goa Fisheries Minister promotes black economy with standardized bribes from Trawlers?

According to just received information at 9.30 pm today December 14, 2023 five trawlers are carrying illegal fishing between Odxel and Dona Paula Coast. Last night they were at Nauxim-Cacra Coast plundering Zuari river.

According to the information received Fisheries Minister has accepted Rs.25,000/- from each trawler to allow illegal fishing. This works to 05 Crore rupees for 200 trawlers alone. 

Fisheries Minister has started parallel black economy in Goa to destroy Marine ecology and livelihood of legally permitted small scale fishers in Coastal waters.

Fisheries Minister sure must be sharing the bribe kitty with his political bosses. Time to kick him out has arrived!

Fisheries Control has already been informed but it is controlled by the super corrupt political dispensation in place.

Sharing of this message is advisable.

Illegal trawling in Zuari river again!

According to just received reports fours trawlers are carrying on illegal fishing in Zuari River right now on December 12, 2023 at 8.50 pm at Nauxi-Cacra coast.

Phone calls to the Fisheries Control room has turned futile as they went without answering. We are not sure exact amount of bribe received by various officers of Fisheries department including Goa Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar do this as to trigger collapse Zuari river gillnet fishery being protected by traditional small scale fishers in their capacity as stewards of the Sea.

Call up and register your complaint too with Goa Fisheries control room now at 08322425263.

What does it take for a successful defence of Marine eco-system?

What does it takes for a successful defence of a marine ecosystem: a view through the Window panes oyster lenses as it is schedule I specie in India classified under Wildlife Protect Act

Case of Goa's Zuari estuary connecting Arabian Sea

1. Detection of threats to ecosystems

Example leasing out of 2 lakh square meters of water territory to private companies by government of India for two Marinas- Nauxim and Sancoale in October 2010 for 30 years (upto 2040)

2. Shouldering of long term responsibility for resistence. Example Adv. Suresh Palkar who shouldered responsibility for 13 years

3. Formation of team of fishers with intimate understanding of Marine ecosystems. Example Bharat Mukti Morcha 

4. Good State Environment Minister. Example Alina Saldanha

5. Good Goa State Bio-diversity Board leadership. Example Prof. Nitin Sawant

6. Good local Political leadership Late Vishnu Wagh and current legislator of the locality Viresh Borkar

7. Insightful understanding of labour of fishers - men and women. Work shapes not just body muscles but also bone structure. Example studied through medical observations by Lorette Joyce Pinto who is a renowned artist of Goa and teaches at Goa College of Art, Panjim. 

8. Good academic-public bridge building. Example Prof. Ramrao Wagh of Goa University.

9. Good Fisheries scientific research work. Example Prof Baban Ingole of NIO (National Institute of Responsibility) and Dr. Shreekant G.B of ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research).

10. Building local Fisheries Union. Example All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union.

11. Building and connecting with National level organisation. Example NPSSFW and its policy interventions.

12. Building International network. Example through website www.bharatmukti.blogspot.in 

13. Favorable media. Example empathasing with small scale fishing communities

14. Collective decision making.  Example collective strategies. Avoiding violence as form of protest at all cost. 

Pending challenges: 

1. Goa's rivers as National Waterways 

2. Inclusion of Mormugao Port under Major Ports Act 2021

3. Rising coastal pressures due to saleable tourist image of Goa

Windowpane oyster as a symbol of resistence and defence of Zuari estuary ecosystem in Goa.

Sebastian Rodrigues

December 03, 2023

COP 28, Dubai