Objections to Marinas in Zuari moved to Pollution Control Board

The below letter indicate that Bharat Mukti Morcha latest objections to Marinas in Zuari river are sent to Goa State Pollution Control Board in Saligao.

Sancoale Marina lease deed

Objections to Marinas in Zuari river filed before Collector of North Goa

Date: 01/03/2019

To,

The Collector (North Goa),

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Objections to Marinas in Zuari river

Dear Sir/Madam,

It has come to our attention though media reports that Goa State Pollution Control Board has approached your office to initiate process for Public Hearing for installing marina in Zuari river off coast of Nauxi village in Tiswadi.

We write this let you know that we continue to oppose both the marina projects in Zuari river not only because it will adversely affect fishing communities engaged in fishing activities but also because of the undemocratic process of leasing out of River Zuari followed by Marmagoa Port Trust (MPT). Without consulting fisher people dependent on Zuari river MPT leased out 2,00,000 square meters of Zuari river bed for two marinas within 3 days (12-14, October, 2010) for 30 years each.

While the two lease deeds took enough precautions to protect mining barge traffic in Zuari the same precautions are not taken for fishing activities in Zuari river. In fact lease deeds makes it clear that setting up of marina will require large scale dredging of river which will surely result in destruction of Zuari river fisheries.

MPT carried on these lease deeds by virtue of the Central government notification of May 24, 2000 that asserts Jurisdiction of MPT up to Cortalim bridge. MPT is controlled by Union Ministry of Shipping. This notification too was issued without consulting fishing communities connected to Zuari river.

If process for marina project is initiated by holding public hearing then it will symbolize Union Shipping Ministry’s commitment to destroy Zuari river fisheries. Already there is lots of misery spread out to Vasco residents due to MPT’s handling of Coal resulting in dredging of Arabian Sea as well as Coal dust pollution. With marina in Zuari this misery will enter Zuari river and it will destroy fisher community’s livelihoods as well as ecology resulting in Port-led Poverty.

We also wish to convey to you that Central Government 2019 notification relating to CRZ has already set in unrest amongst fishing communities in the State of Goa and installation of marinas will only facilitate further escalation of tension.

The sizable affected people on Zuari river bank are also Scheduled Tribes whose livelihoods were destroyed due to setting up of various projects in the past resulting in no benefit to the community. Few of these projects include Goa University, Goa Medical College, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa International Centre etc. This development forced these people to take up fishing. Marina spells doom to the livelihood of these People. Should one more project of be imposed at Nauxim sacrificing adivasis for prosperity of few rich Yacht owning tourists and five star hotels like Hotel Grand Hyatt and Cidade de Goa that are located on Zuari river bank? Amongst adivasis there is already nation wide unrest is underway due to eviction threats of those living in forest landscapes. Central Government has failed to depute lawyers to defend government law protecting Tribal People and Other Forest Dwellers in India. This has already affected 23 lakh people all over India. Marinas too are destined to provoke eviction of river bank tribal people in Nauxim-Cacra villages.

People on Zuari river banks are insecure as river has been declared as National Waterway 111 as Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has assertive control over riparian areas. In this context Installation of Marinas in Zuari has been viewed as frontal attacks on the livelihood of people particularly dependent upon fishing.

Kindly convey our objection to marinas in Zuari to the State and Central Government.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

          Sd/-

Maggie Silveira,

President,

Goa Unit

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.