Fishing manifesto for Parliamentary Elections 2024

Hello Candidates for Lok Sabha Elections from Goa!

Greetings from All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union!

We wish to draw your attention to few points that need your attention as a candidate for forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Goa:

1. National Waterways

All the six rivers (Chapora, Mapusa, Mandovi, Cumbharjua, Zuari, Sal) be excluded from National Waterways Act 2017. This will make rivers legally safe for fishing.

2. Marinas

Two proposals (Nauxim and Sancoale) for Marinas in Zuari river be canceled. Leased deeds for both be canceled. This will ensure unhindered fishing in Zuari river.

3. MPA

Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) be excluded from the scope of Major Ports Authorities Act. This will be helpful to make fishing safe for small scale fishers.

4. Blue Flag

Blue Flag certification proposal for Siridao and other beaches in Goa be revoked. Beaches are declared as fish landing centre and This should not be disrupted by providing exclusive and reserved access to any beach in Goa.

5. Subsidies

Fishing communities fuel subsidies and other facilities be increased for small scale fishers.

6. Plastics

Rivers of Goa be cleaned up of plastic garbage by stopping manufacture of plastics.

7. Mining

Mining in Goa has led to siltation of rivers. It has negatively affected livelihoods of small scale fishing communities. Recent scientific study by Scientists from NIO etc has published evidence to this effect. This needs be taken on board as Indian government is moving ahead to resume mining in Goa.

We request you to keep above seven points on your agenda I times ahead.

We will be happy to extend any further inputs on the above points should you decide to contact us back.

Thanking  you,

Yours sincerely

Shaila D'mello

President

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary

Vedanta to put 254 mining trucks per hour on Bicholim Public roads?

 From:

Ramesh S. Gauns

Pajwada, Bicholim,

Goa

M: 9270085105

Date: 25 April 2024

To,

Director of Mines and Geology,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: use of public roads, village roads, district roads for mining transportation...regarding 

Sir,

It has come to our attention that your office is about to provide opinion to the Honorable Goa Bench of Bombay High Court in P.I.L. W.P No. 6 of 2024 recommending transportation of ore on Public Roads, Village roads, District road in Bicholim in order to facilitate Vedanta Limited Bicholim Block - I Mines ore transportation. 

We request you to kindly refrain from allowing such transportation. Transportation of ore to the rate of 120 trips per hour - as recorded in Vedanta limited letter dated 08 April 2024 to your office - would mean invasion of public roads with mighty reckless manner threatening road safety with impunity thereby violating 2022 Supreme Court directions on road safety. 

Environmental Clearance (EC) dated 23 January 2024 records at page 28 of 39 response from Vedanta Limited that total ore that will be transported per day is 12658 tonnes in 1205 trips per day and 127 trips per hour with total vehicles that will be put on road to and fro totaling 254 vehicles per hour. This is sure remedy for creation of a catastrophe for 237 days per year that you need to prevent. 

Moreover you are well advised to organise public consultations with affected people residing close to the vicinity of the roads before providing any permissions to use existing public roads, Village roads, city roads as well as district roads for transportation of ore at such such high rate as 120 trips per hour.

Vedanta Limited has claimed in response recorded in Environmental Clearance page 18 that they have 4.54 km of dedicated road and 0.94 km MDR-20 Public Road.

Directorate of Mines and Geology is not privileged to initiate violation of EC condition to make a mockery of EC. It's legitimacy is very vital by maitaining It's integrity.

Any irresponsible decision on your part would lead to the unpredictably dangerous consequences to the Public Health in Goa and your office will be held responsible and accountable in a fitting manner.

Therefore we assert once again: Please organise public consultations on the issue of granting road permits to transport ore from the Mines to Sarmanas Jetty with affected people of Bicholim Taluka prior to granting of any road permits to Ms Vedanta Limited.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Ramesh S. Gauns

Objections to Blue Flag Accredition to Siridao beach

15 April 2024

To,

The Director of Tourism,

Government of Goa,

Paryatan Bhavan,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Objections to Blue Flag Accredition to Siridao beach

Sir,

We have come to know from media reports (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/crz-nod-given-for-amenities-meeting-blue-flag-standards-at-siridao-beach/articleshow/109014044.cms) that Goa Tourism Department has taken nod from Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to provide Blue Flag certification to Siridao beach.

Our investigations in this regard has revealed the following insights:

1. The purpose of getting Denmark standards of Beaches is known as Blue Flag certification for portion of Siridao beach is for catering to the exclusive Tourism purpose. 

2. After interaction with gillnet fishers on Siridao Beach it is revealed that none were consulted by your office before taking the Blue Flag decision. This way of decision-making that exclude and dispense fishing communities from governance is a political tragedy.

3. The method of decision-making adopted by your office with regards to Blue Flag certification for Siridao beach threatens to expel fishing communities at Siridao from the fishing based livelihoods currently practiced at Siridao beach. This we totally object to.

4. Brief history of Blue Flag certification of Goa's Beaches reveals that Velsao and Miramar fishermen had already rejected the same during past years for creating threats to fishing occupations by intruding on to fishing boat spaces.

5. Fishing communities are bestowed with the role of "stewards" of the coast in SSF voluntary Guidelines, a piece of international law that India is signatory too. Non-consulting fishing communities on Blue Flag certification of Siridao beach therefore constitutes violation of international fishing jurisprudence and you are required to review your style of functioning vis-a-vis fishing communities on Siridao Beach and all other beaches in Goa. 

6. We request your office to maintain cleanliness of all the Beaches in Goa. Current status of Beaches in Goa including Siridao beach is pathetic. Beaches are littered with plastics and broken glass pieces. Due to wrong touristic publicity to Goa on its liberal liquor policy several groups of people are seen visiting Beaches, consuming alcohol and afterwards break the bottles on the beach itself creating health and safety issue for everyone working and visiting the beaches. This gross abuse has made several beaches in Goa including Siridao beach dangerous. You are requested to launch a program to address this rather than creating exclusive tourist use beaches with all the infrastructure objectionable to fishing communities.

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union (AGSSRFU) in a meeting held on 11 April 2024 examined this issue of Siridao beach from fishing perspective and decided to initiate suitable moves.

We hereby request your office to abort your plans to designate Siridao beach as Blue Flag certified destination for exclusive tourist enjoyment and stop your practice of excluding local fishing communities from the decision-making process concerning Goa's coastal and riparian geographies.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

President 

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary

Copy to

Director of Fisheries, 

Panaji, Goa

Member-Secretary, 

Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, 

Panaji, Goa

Shri Viresh Borkar,

M.L.A, 

St. Andre Constituency,

Goa

Sarpanch, 

Village Panchayat,

Siridao, Goa

Blue Flag certification to Siridao beach?

 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/crz-nod-given-for-amenities-meeting-blue-flag-standards-at-siridao-beach/articleshow/109014044.cms

Whom did in Siridao Tourism Department consult before taking this decision of declaring Siridao beach for Blue Flag certification?

Why fishing Orgnisations/ Associations/Unions involved in fishing activities in Zuari river not consulted?

Why did consultative mechanism has been dispensed with by Goa Government?

Why this Blue certification issue being pushed through authoritative manner?

Why no one from Tourism Department nor from Coastal Zone Management Authority visited fishing communities engaged in fishing in Zuari before taking such major decision on Siridao Beach?

Tourism Department currently treats fishing communities with contempt as is reflected from its order to do away with need for NOC from Fisheries department in August 2022. Is Blue Flag another aggression and insult to fishing communities of Zuari river that needs Red Flag from fishing communities?

Aren't fishing communities on Siridao Beach live in peace without any colour classification to the beach?

Haven't Tourism Department messaged up fishing in Mandovi River through casinos already? This Department and GTDC want to spread their invasive tentacles even further to take entire Goa captive?

This issue is not just about Siridao. It's about Tourism Department taking control of Beaches unilaterally dispensing with consultative process and issuing declarations from the ivory tower. Who gave them the authority to do so?

Few years back in 2019 Tourism Department had declared Miramar beach for Blue Flag certification. Consultation was organised by North Goa Collector. At the consultation local fishermen opposed Blue Flag certification plan and Government had to stall its plans.

The issue is about pushing back institutional invasion of Goa's coast from Tourism Department and about reclaiming also the lost grounds. We need concerted efforts in this direction in innovative ways.

Please write back with your ideas or launch your own initiatives in this direction.

Mechanised fishing reported near Dona Paula Jetty

 07 April 2024

To,

The Superitendent of Police,

Coastal Security,

Panaji, Goa 

To,

The Director,

Department of Fisheries,

Panaji, Goa

To,

Captain of Ports,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Mechanised fishing-Serious matter concerning WP 2844/23 at Goa Bench of Bombay High Court

Madam/Sir,

This is to bring to your attention that mechanised fishing through purse seine fishing gear was carried on within two kilometers from Dona Paula Jetty on 07 April 2024 between 5.30 pm to 6.00 pm.

This indicates that all the measures that Director of Fisheries and Superitendent of Fisheries, Coastal Security has promised in the Court affidavit is not functional as no patrol boat from any of the concerned Governments are seen near Dona Paula Jetty.

You are requested to take urgent note on this breach and take necessary steps to avoid similar incidents in near future.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

President, AGSSRFU

Laximan Mangueshkar

Secretary, AGSSRFU

Copy to:

Chief Justice,

Goa Bench of Bombay High Court, Porvorim, Goa

Compulsion to converse in English by Fisheries surveyor

03 April 2024

To,

The Director of Fisheries, 

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Compulsion from Fisheries Surveyor to speak 

English by fishers of Bambolim, Nauxim villages

Madam,

We wish to bring to your attention that English speaking has been made compulsory for fishing communities by Fisheries surveyor of Goa Fisheries department in Bambolim, Nauxim villages.

Currently mass of fishing communities of these villages doesn't have fluency in and understanding of English and most mode of verbal communication is in Konkani. This has created obstacles in fishing related communications with Fisheries Surveyor deputed in these villages. We appreciate good intention of your Fisheries Surveyor in his approach towards English though currently not equipped with skills to do so.

In order to make fishing communities proficient in spoken English dealing with Fisheries Surveyor we request you the following:

1. Depute staff from your office to train adult fishing community members from Bambolim, Nauxim and other villages/places/localities/territory within the administration Jurisdiction of Fisheries Surveyor Harish Prabhu to teach English. 

This will alleviate linguistic hardships currently faced by fishing communities due to adamant insistence to speak speak English with Mr. Prabhu.

We will collaborate with Fisheries department as English proficiency will be beneficial to fishing communities towards self-empowerment while dealing with such Fisheries surveyors and beyond. 

Till this arrangement for adult Education program for spoken English is carried on appropriate instruction be given to the above named Fisheries Officer to make communications fishing communities easy and seemless preferably in Konkani till linguistic skills of our communities are upgraded by your office.

Thanking you in advance.

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

(President)

Laximan Mangueshkar

(Secretary)

In solidarity with Caranzalem fishers of Arabian Sea

03 April 2024

To,

The Director,

Department of Tourism,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

To,

The Director,

Department of Fisheries,

Panaji, Goa

To,

M.L.A

Panaji Constituency, 

Panaji, Goa

Subject: Objections to Water sports at Caranzalem beach

Madam/Sir,

It have come to our attention through media reports that traditional fishing communities engaged in small scale fishing at Caranzalem beach are facing threat to their livelihoods due to push for water sports by the Goa Tourism Department. We share links to the media reports that went online on 21 March 2024 to you as under:

https://www.heraldgoa.in/News-Today/Caranzalem-raponkars-oppose-demarcation-of-water-sports-zone-at-Caranzalem/219263 

https://youtu.be/paYYK0Vupnw?si=oikzSbQZx-p-GsJv

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union took cognizance of the above two media reports during our meeting on 27 March 2024 and examined the seriousness of the looming threats before fishing communities due to the water sports at various sections of Caranzalem beach.

Resolutions to support fishing communities at Caranzalem beach against water sports was passed during the meeting.

In the light of the above context you are requested to desist from engaging in any kind of water sports activities at Caranzalem beach that is disturbing and disruptive to the traditional and small scale fishing activities.

Kindly communicate this message to all the concerned for necessary action.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Shaila D'mello

(President)

Laximan Mangueshkar

(Secretary)

Copy to:

President,

Caranzalem Ramponkar & Traditional Fishermen Association,

H.No. 165, Near Rayan Gas Godown, Poder, Dando, Caranzalem, Tiswadi, Goa.