Date: February
27, 2020
To,
The Captain of Ports,
Government of Goa,
Panjim, Goa
Subject:
Objections to the Blue Economy assault on Goa’s rivers
Sir/Madam,
It has come to our attention from the reports in
media that Goa Government through your office is in the process of launching
major assault on Goa’s rivers by setting up Jetties in various parts of Goa
without holding Public hearing under the pretext that they are floating
Jetties. It has also come to our attention that your office is all set to
launch another major assault on Goas rivers by initiating dredging of various
rivers of Goa like Chapora, Mandovi, Sal, Cumbharjua and Zuari without holding
Public Hearings for the same.
Because of irresponsible attitude of your office
barges has already created siltation of Goa’s major rivers like Mandovi, Zuari
and Cumbharjua and recorded in the minutes of Goa State Pollution Board first
meeting held on October 05th 1988 destroying precious marine ecology
of these rivers and still remains in a same state. Your office carried on EIA
of Chapora river but why is it not shared with Public?
Because of irresponsible attitude of your office six
of Goa’s rivers are declared as National Waterways without consulting fishing
communities of these rivers. Because of irresponsible attitude of your office
Mandovi river is conquered and assaulted by off shore casinos denying valuable
space for small scale fishers.
Dredging is a major assault on marine life and your
office is not bothered about it as if no one in your office is eating fish nor
your office is bothered about hundreds of peoples engaged in fishing activities
in Goa’s rivers. Dredging for Shipping purposes are known to create several
problems such as Air and water pollution, sea floor erosion, wave and current
regime alterations, introduction of invasive species, underwater noise
pollution, land use change, water front congestion, health and labour issues
and number of other ecologically destabilizing practices, environmental
injustice, unequal power relations and social conflicts. Dredging of Mandovi
river by Champions island has damaged marine ecology as informed by local
fishermen from Diwar island and several marine species has disappeared.
Your decisions to set up Jetties and dredging of
rivers is in violation of Voluntary
Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the context of
Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) India is signatory
to SSF Guidelines and has committed to their enforcement via Article 54 of the National Marine Fisheries Policy 2017.
It is also violation of Sustainable
Development Goals (SDG): 14 Life
under water. Government widened roads to make them six land and destroyed
several paddy field and people dependent upon the same. Now your office is
determined to destroy livelihood of several more fisher people by destroying
marine ecology to promote shipping industry. Shame!
Your are therefore requested to immediately respect
Goa’s rivers and its marine ecology, stay away from launching assaults in the
form of construction Jetties and Dredging of rivers for Shipping purpose in
Goa. Destroying Goa’s rivers by your office will only aggravate situation of
hunger that currently stands at 7000 deaths per day as per community kitchen case
proceedings in Supreme Court of India.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Maggie Silveira
President, Goa State & National Council Member
of National Platform of Small Scale Fish Workers (Inland)
