Press Statement in support of Rama Kankonkar and Arturo D’Souza

The undersigned organisations and individuals strongly condemns attempts of the State Government in collusion with vested interests to tag Rama Kankonkar and Arturo D’Souza - well known for their activities in defence of ecology and environment – based on letter inward at Agassaim Police Station. This fact came to light when few days ago Rama Kankonkar was called at the Agassaim Police Station after serving call letter. It is fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect environment under Article 51-A(g) of the Constitution of India. However over the past few years Rama Kankonkar as well as Arturo D’Souza has been harassed and subjected to private violence making mockery of the law and order situation in Goa while engaged in task of environment protection especially with regard inclusion of PDAs to urbanise, protection of Chimbel lake from proposed IT park and movement to protect Bondvol lake at Santa Cruz village and get it recognise as Wetland. 

Both Arturo and Rama are also outspoken about the illegal fishing in Zuari River by use of trawl nets and purse seine nets and offered their support to traditional fishing community using Gill nets. Currently Rama and Arturo are contributing immensely towards study of Coastal Management Plan (CZM) that is to come up for Public Hearing on July 07, 2019, and creating awareness in different parts of Goa specially Tiswadi. Rama Kankonkar is also courageous to expose CRZ violations carried on the banks of Cumbharjua River by brother of Goa’s Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte.

The undersigned organisations and individuals strongly condemn today afternoon’s act of violence on Rama Kankonkar’s private car parked at his residence in Curca suffering damage. This act of violence is carried on in order to instill fear and silence vibrant voice of Rama Kankonkar. This latest attack not only reflects growing frustration of the vested corporate interests out to destroy environment of Tiswadi Taluka but also collapse of the Law and Order machinery in the State of Goa. Goa’s Home Minister must resign immediately as he has failed to provide adequate security to Rama Kankonkar.

We pledge our support to Rama Kankonkar who is also the office bearer of GAKUVED and Arturo D’Souza till Justice is done, violence stops, Environment protected, ecology restored and urbanising trends reversed.

Illegal and Ecologically hostile fishing in Goa’s Zuari River

This article is published from Belgium. Click links here to read.

Report of the illegal fishing in Zuari River Siridao to Odxel belt February 2019

Date: 01/03/2019

Report of the illegal fishing in Zuari River Siridao to Odxel belt February 2019

Sr. No	Date	Time	Nature of Violation	Response of Fisheries Department
01	02/02/2019	7.00 am	15 Trawlers	No Action
02	02/02/2019	5.00 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action
03	02/02/2019	8.27 pm	03 Trawlers	No Action
04	03/02/2019	6.51 am	15 Trawlers	No Action
05	03/02/2019	2.02 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action
06	04/02/2019	7.00 am	27 Trawlers	No Action
07	04/02/2019	1.00 pm	18 Trawlers	No Action
08	04/02/2019	5.30 pm	06 Trawlers	No Action
09	05/02/2019	7.00 am	25 Trawlers	No Action
10	05/02/2019	1.20 pm	22 Trawlers	No Action
11	06/02/2019	7.39 am	18 Trawlers	No Action but Secretary (Fisheries) informed that Patrolling has started
12	07/02/2019	7.00 am	20 Trawlers	Fisheries control room disclosed that Coastal Police must be Patrolling.
13	07/02/2019	4.30 pm	12 Trawlers	Patrol boat has returned back after strong winds. Will inform Coastal Police.
14	09/02/2019	6.00 am	22 Trawlers	No Action
15	09/02/2019	1.45 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued till 3.30 pm
16	10/02/2019	7.25 pm	02 Trawlers	No Action
17	11/02/2019	5.30 am	02 Trawlers	No Action
18	11/02/2019	6.30 am	02 Purse seine boats	No Action. Fisheries control room phone number not working. Secretary (Fisheries) informed.
19	15/02/2019	7.35 pm	05 Trawlers	No Action. Fisheries control room phone found connected to Fax, calls did not go through. Coastal Security Police informed.
20	20/02/2019	4.00 pm	04 Trawlers	No Action
21	21/02/2019	5.40 pm	07 Trawlers	No Action as Coastal Police Boat shut down as per information from Fisheries control room
22	22/02/2019	2.45 pm	01 Trawler	No Action
23	23/02/2019	3.05 am	18 Trawlers	No Action
24	23/02/2019	2.42 pm	18 Trawlers	No Action. Fisheries Control informed: Fisheries staff on leave being Saturday, and Coastal Security Patrol boat is under repairs.
25	23/02/2019	3.25 pm	07 Trawlers	No Action
26	23/02/2019	3.50 pm	11 Trawlers	No Action
27	25/02/2019	2.00 pm	25 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued toll 7.00 pm
28	26/02/2019	1.00 pm	14 Trawlers	No Action. Fisheries Control room informed that their only boat has gone for inspection of fishing stakes under High Court Order and hence not available for Patrolling in Zuari. Department sent request to Coastal Security Police Station at Ribandar but no response even beyond 3.00 pm. Secretary (Fisheries) informed.
29	27/02/2019	6.45 am	15 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued till 9.00 am
30	27/02/2019	12.30 pm	15 Trawlers	No Action. Illegal fishing continued beyond 1.10 pm. Secretary (Fisheries) informed.

Observations:

1.       Coastal Security Police has refused to shoulder burden of illegal fishing in Zuari river saying that it is not their primary duty as per media reports.

2.       Most illegal fishing in month of February 2019 was carried on by Trawlers while there was one incident of illegal fishing by purse seine boats.

3.       30 incidents of illegal fishing reported in February 2019 involving 374 boats of which 372 are trawlers. In January 2019 there were 15 incident of illegal fishing involving 152 boats of which 151 was trawlers.

4.       Intensity of illegal fishing by trawling in Zuari river has doubled from January 2019 (151) to February (372). There is progressing deterioration of law and order situation in Zuari river due to illegal fishing by trawlers in 2019 within 5 kms from the coast where in trawl nets as well as purse seine nets are prohibited from use as per prevailing law – Marine Fishing Regulation Act 1980.

5.       Such large scale violation is leading to destruction of fisheries in Zuari river due to destruction of river bed reefs by use of trawl nets.

6.       There is need to carry on estimate of damage caused by trawling to Zuari river bed ecology during first two months of 2019 and take effective measures to enforce total ban on trawling including impounding to offender trawlers under section 18 of the Goa, Daman, and Diu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980.

7.       Primary duty to maintain law and order at Sea is with Fisheries department under section 4(2)(c) of the Goa, Daman, and Diu Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980. The capacity of Goa Fisheries department in this context of law and order is in completely damaged state. This needs drastic turn around.

Jungle law reigns in River Zuari

Not withstanding any inputs yesterday from Coastal Security Police at Ribandar, Goa, purseining fishing boats carried on illegal fishing in full gusto today morning in Zuari river contributing greatly to the depletion of fish by use of banned fishing purse seine fishing nets within 5 kms from the Odxel shoreline. Around 80 purse seine boats carried on this illegality early morning today along with 5 trawlers that dig river bed disrupting marine ecology and livelihood of traditional fishing communities.

One is compelled to conclude that there is complete break down of fisheries department as well as Coastal security police. Fishermen who call up fisheries department are threatened by some vested interests with violence in Arabian Sea. Rule of law has departed from Zuari and Jungle law has reigned in due the utter lethargy displayed by Home Ministry and Fisheries Ministry. Bharat Mukti Morcha, Goa State condemns the operation of Jungle law in River Zuari. One wonder as to what right Fisheries Minister, Secretary (fisheries), and director of fisheries has to continue to hold on to their office? Shamila Monteiro was chucked out as Director of Fisheries for failure to stop illegal fishing in River Zuari. The lone IAS officer who cracked down on illegal fishing was Govind Jaiswal. Current leadership of fisheries department is a mega flop show that must immediately stop.