Illegal fishing continues in Zuari

Date: 09^th April 2018

To,

The Minister of Fisheries,

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Secretary (Fisheries)

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Secretary (Home)

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Director,

Directorate of Fisheries,

Panjim, Goa

To,

The Police Inspector

Agasaim Police Station,

Agassaim, Goa

To,

The Superintendent of Police

Coastal Security,

Police Headquarters,

Panjim, Goa

To,

The Deputy Superintendent of Police

Coastal Security

Ribandar, Goa

To,

The Collector (North)

Panjim, Goa

To,

The Secretary (Education)

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To

The Captain of Ports

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Illegal Fishing in River Zuari

Madam/ Sir,

There are fresh spate of illegal fishing by trawlers and mini purse seine boats in Zuari river as under:

1.    Every night there is illegal fishing by trawlers and mini purse seine boats between 8.30 pm to 3.30 pm. Number of boats range between two to eight.

2.    On 30/03/2018 at 7.30 am thirty five mini purse seine boats carried on illegal fishing. It was Good Friday Holiday.

3.    On 29/03/2018 at 6.00 am eight mini purse seine boats carried on illegal fishing in Zuari.

4.    On 28/03/2018 at 10.00 pm eight trawlers carried on illegal fishing in Zuari

All the four cases mentioned above indicate failure of surveillance system of the Fisheries Department as well of Goa Police. We call upon you

1.    To immediately tighten up the security measures and stop ongoing illegalities.

2.    Efficient co-ordination between police and Fisheries department.

3.    Involve Goa University, Colleges, Schools and other educational institutions in Goa to create awareness about ethical fishing and protection of rivers from purse seine and trawler fishing which is ecologically dangerous.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Maggie Silveira

President, Goa State

Rohidas Andrade

Convenor, Bambolim Unit

Sanjay Pereira

Convenor, Cacra Unit

Soccorro Braganza

Convenor, Siridao Unit

Anthony Cardozo

Convenor, Curca Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convenor, Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convenor, Nauxim Unit

Ms. Kalpana Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Honu Divkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxim Unit

Yeshwant Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Amir Mardolkar

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Jaya Kuttikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Jonu Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ms. Sheila D’mello

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ashok Kukalkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ganashyam Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Uttam Martins

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Rohit Hadkonkar

Co-convenor, Bambolim Unit

Sanju Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandranath Rosario

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Vijay Sawant

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ragunath Sautodkar

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Mahadev Andre Rosario

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Laxman Mangueshkar

Co-convenor,,Siridao Unit

Illegal fishing by trawlers and purse seine boats in Zuari River and call to involve students

Date: 24^th April 2018

To,

The Speaker,

Goa Legislative Assembly,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Minister of Fisheries,

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Secretary (Fisheries),

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Director of Fisheries,

Panjim, Goa,

To,

The Superintendent of Police (Coastal Security), Police Headquarters,

Panjim, Goa

To,

The Deputy Superintendent of Police (Coastal Security), Ribandar, Goa

To,

The Police Inspector,

Agassaim Police Station,

Agassaim, Goa

To,

The Leader of the Opposition,

Goa Legislative Assembly,

Porvorim, Goa

To,

MLA,

St. Andre
Constituency

To,

MLA,

Santa Cruz Constituency

To,

MLA,

Talegao Constituency,

Subject: Illegal fishing by trawlers and purse seine boats in Zuari River and call to involve students

Madam/ Sir,

In spite of our repeated intimation to your office illegal fishing by trawlers in Zuari River continues. Here are latest trawler details: Daily between 8.30 pm to 4.00 am in the night time 4 to 5 trawlers regularly carry on illegal fishing. Then on last Sunday 22/04/2018 between 4 to 5 trawlers carried on illegal fishing during day time twice, in the morning at 8.30 am and in the night at 9.50 pm. Trawler “Netra” is one of the repeat offenders and few trawlers are without latest registration numbers from Department of Fisheries.

Here we share latest mini purse seine details: One boat carries on daily illegal fishing Zuari using banned purse seine fishing net from 5.30 am to 9.00 am and 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

We have noted that there is nil co-ordination between Coastal Security Police and Fisheries department and as a result illegal fishing which is also ecologically dangerous is thriving in Zuari river. You are requested to pay immediate attention to this problem and solve it. Your neglect may lead to situation going out of control and total collapse of law and order as well as collapse of fisheries administration in Zuari as it was on 30/03/2018 when 35 mini purse seine boats carried on illegal fishing without any hindrance from the authorities which we have already informed to Fisheries department as well as to Coastal Police via our letter dated 09^th April 2018. 

So you are requested to take identify and penalize offender trawlers and mini purse seine boats as well as take punitive action against responsible officers.

We further request you to involve students and faculty of Goa University and other educational institutions such as BITS Pilani Goa Campus, Collages, Higher Secondary schools etc in tackling this problem as Coastal Security Police as well as Fisheries department has proved to be insufficient and inefficient. We suggest the following pedagogy to engage with Students of above cited institutions:

Ø Explain nature of Zuari River with rich fish diversity back by existing studies

Ø Food Security provided by Zuari river to fishermen and fish consumers human and non-human in Goa

Ø Introduction to sustainable, ecological and ethical fishing practices such as Gillnet fishing, Pagel, Stakes, Rampon etc and general threats to it.

Ø Prevalent law regulating fishing in Goa involving Directorate of Fisheries and Coastal Security Police

Ø Success and Failures of Directorate of Fisheries and Coastal Security Police in tackling illegal fishing by Trawlers and Mini-purse seine boats in Zuari river

Ø Role of Students, Teaching Faculty and Public in tackling illegal fishing in Zuari in the face of repeated failures of Fisheries department and Coastal Security Police – Group discussions

Ø For more details on dynamics of Zuari river fishing refer to field reports and letters at folder “Fishing” at our  blog www.bharatmukti.blogspot.in

Ø Collation generated ideas and Publication of Reports by Department of Fisheries and Coastal Security jointly.

Ø From the Academic Year 2018-2019 launch long term collaboration of Directorate of Fisheries, Coastal Security Police and Education Institutions in Goa to protect and defend River Zuari ecology from illegal fishing.

Should you need our assistance then we will be glad to do so in any possible way for the sake of River Zuari, its ecology and sustainable and ethical fishing practices in Goa.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely

Maggie Silveira

President, Goa State

Rohidas Andrade

Convenor, Bambolim Unit

Sanjay Pereira

Convenor, Cacra Unit

Socorro Braganza

Convenor, Siridao Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convenor, Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convenor, Nauxim Unit

Ms. Kalpana Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Anthony Cardozo

Convenor, Curca Unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Honu Divkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxim Unit

Yeshwant Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Amir Mardolkar

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Jaya Kuttikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Jonu Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ms. Sheila D’mello

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ashok Kukalkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ganashyam Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Uttam Martins

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Rohit Hadkonkar

Co-convenor, Bambolim Unit

Sanju Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandranath Rosario

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Vijay Sawant

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ragunath Sautodkar

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Mahadev Andre Rosario

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Laxman Mangueshkar

Co-convenor, Siridao Unit

Copy to:

1.     The Vice-Chancellor,

Goa University, Taleigao, Goa

2.     Director,

BITS Pilani Goa Campus, Zuarinagar, Goa

3.     Principal,

Fr. Agnel College of Arts and Commerce, Pillar, Goa

4.     Principal

Fr. Agnelo Higher Secondary School, Pillar, Goa

5.     Principal

Dhempe College of Arts and Science, Panjim, Goa

6.     Principal

Dempo College of Commerce, Panjim, Goa

7.     Principal,

St. Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim, Goa

8.     St. Joseph Vaz Institute of Education,

Cortalim, Goa

9.     Principal,

MES College, Vasco, Goa

10.                         Principal,

Don Bosco College, Panjim

11.                         Principal,

Don Bosco Higher Secondary, Panjim

12.                         Principal,

Santa Cruz Higher Secondary School, Santa Cruz

13.                         Principal,

Nirmala Institute of Education, Panjim, Goa

14.                         Principal,

Our Lady of Rosary Higher Secondary School, Dona Paula

15.                         Principal,

St. Andrews Higher Secondary School, Vasco

Waters sports excesses in Zuari river

Date: 24^th April 2018

To,

The Minister of Fisheries,

Government of Goa

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Secretary (Fisheries)

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Director,

Directorate of Fisheries,

Government of Goa,

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Terms and conditions violations of water sports N.O.C for Aquasail Distribtion Co. Pvt. Ldt

Sir

We hereby bring to your notice that there has been violation of terms and conditions no. 5 in Director of Fisheries N.O.C granted to Aquasail Distribution Co. Pvt. Ltd dated 13/10/2017 bearing registration no. ENF/WS/AQUA-SAIL/2017-18/4240 at Bambolim Beach as under:

1.    Water sports boats of Aquasail were out in river at 8.00 am itself on 14/04/2018 while they are not supposed to be in river before 9.30 am as per condition no. 5.

2.    Water sports boats of Aquasail were out till late in river at 6.45 pm on 19/4/2018 even though they are supposed wind up their activities at 5.30 pm as per condition no.5 of the N.O.C cited above.

Now as per the condition no.9 we call upon you that Director of Fisheries revokes the above cited N.O.C to Aquasail Distribution Co. Pvt. Ltd. In our earlier letters to you we have asked you to do the same with regard to violation of Condition no. 01 resulting in hindrance to the fishing activities.

Hoping for your early response,

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Maggie Silveira

President, Goa State

Rohidas Andrade

Convenor, Bambolim Unit

Sanjay Pereira

Convenor, Cacra Unit

Soccorro Braganza

Convenor, Siridao Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convenor, Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convenor, Nauxim Unit

Anthony Cardozo

Convenor, Curca Unit

Ms. Kalpana Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Honu Divkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxim Unit

Yeshwant Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Amir Mardolkar

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Jaya Kuttikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Jonu Shirvoikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ms. Sheila D’mello

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ashok Kukalkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ganashyam Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Uttam Martins

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Rohit Hadkonkar

Co-convenor, Bambolim Unit

Sanju Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandranath Rosario

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Vijay Sawant

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ragunath Sautodkar

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Mahadev Andre Rosario

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Laximan Mangueshkar

Co-convenor, Siridao Unit

Why Goa needs to depend upon Nagpur for radiation monitoring?

Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM), Goa State expresses deep concern about the continuing absence of mobile tower radiation monitoring in the State of Goa. Since 2014 over 50 complaints including two from BMM dated 30/7/2015 and 26/11/2015 of Nauxim-Bambolim localities are with regard to mobile towers in Goa; are pending with Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) without any solution.

Goa government in the light of the public unrest formed Goa State Telecom Committee (GSTC) headed by Chief Secretary with more IAS officers functioning as Secretaries to Ministries of Urban Development, Environment, and Town and Country Planning Departments as its members.

GSTC in 2016 decided to send all the radiation related complaints from People of Goa to Telecom Enforcement, Resources & Monitoring (TERM) Cell based at Khamla Telephone Exchange in Nagpur, Maharashtra. TERM Cell as per directives from GSPCB was to carry on radiation monitoring in Goa with prior intimation to the complainants in Goa.

This monitoring never took place and TERM Cell never responded to GSPCB letter of 09/09/2016 or to its reminder letters dated 24/01/2018 and 15/03/2018 sent after follow up from BMM in person as well as via letter dated 7/2/2018.

Total incompetence in radiation monitoring has been again brought to the notice of GSTC on 15/03/2018 by Shivanand Salelkar, Superintending Engineer, GSPCB with intimation to BMM. In this connection BMM considers it is important for wider public involvement as radiation even though it is without sound, form and colour do carry lethal capacity inflict damage on life forms on plants, animals, birds and humans even though mobile companies are attempting to silence dissent by various brainwashing tactics like publicity and co-option of political leaders such as all MLAs of Goa.

Currently no one seems to the taking radiation monitoring in Goa seriously with Goa’s political decision making powers located in Panjim, New Delhi and New York playing deaf. Why State Level Telecom Monitoring Committee has not followed up on this important matter of Public Health? Why entire population of Goa has been put into risk of radiation emitted from mobile towers?

In the light of the above we call upon you to do the following:

1.     Make all mobile towers all over Goa dysfunctional till regular monitoring mechanism for radiation monitoring is installed in Goa as Term Cell located in Nagpur is not bothered about EMR monitoring in Goa.

2.     In the event of failure to install full fledged radiation monitoring system in Goa stop mobile towers permanently and uproot existing mobile towers.

3.     Install full fledged radiation monitoring system in Goa with public participation. Set up Peoples’ radiation monitoring groups armed with radiation monitors and induct this issue in existing groups across the State of Goa.

Maggie Silveira

President

Goa State

Ozone gaze on East Vanxim

In a bizarre development Ozone corporate has now turned its gaze on Eastern Vanxim in Mandovi river in Goa. After fraudulently  taking over Western Vanxim, also known as Capao Island paddy fields and its embarrassment from the office of the Goa Archbishop via Mahendra Gaunkar, Ozone has launched soft publicity arsenal in a bid to face existing hurdles to put up a five star hotel and luxury villas in the paddy fields of Vanxim. 

The above picture is of calendar we found at the reception counter of the Goa State Pollution Control Board, Panjim accessible to public. April 2018 page of this calendar with Ozone logo on page has helicopter view picture of Vanxim Santus Cristus Church, cemetery and the residential houses. Ozone has has been careful to avoid depicting West Vanxim paddy fields that still lies flooded with river water due to vested interests. 

April is significant for Ozone as it is in April 1999 agreement was signed to sell Vanxim by the office of the Goa Archbishop with Fr. Victor Rodrigues signing out Vanxim to Mahendra Gaunekar without recording address of Gaunekar in Panjim. 

In a Calendar message Ozone has claimed that it is committed to making a difference. One is justified in questioning the claim. One visible difference to the island has been rise in moral corruption of the local people as Ozone and Gaunekar went on pumping money, bribing and co-opting local people and CBI refused to investigate corruption involved at highest level of political, bureaucratic and religious echelons.

Ozone does not stop at this. It has gone ahead and now playing God: Breathing new life! Ozone has taken manipulative snapshot of Vanxim history in just twenty words like this: Vanxim Island, Goa is a place where the vagaries of nature forced people to flee from the life they have known. Vanxim people knew the life as working in paddy filed and fishing, living in abundance of food security and rearing cattle by few, goats by few and hens by most. This life was violently disrupted when sluice gates were deliberately damaged by vested interests led by Narayana Bhosle who currently resides in Divar, Santarbhat. The documentary evidence to this can be accessed from here. The complaint dated 17 April 1995 is still lying before the Mamalatdar of Tiswadi as evident from the documents. Ozone only benefited from the destruction of paddy cultivation to further its evil intentions of constructing a five star hotel and luxury villas, a project of nearly 1000 crores and another one at Old Goa near North Goa MP Shripad Naik residence called porta de Capao. Did ozone make any difference to local people in any way? No. Situation is as it is. In fact Ozone manipulated court cases, putting people under pressure of legal system and forced to give up paddy fields illegally, unethically. Here is one example at this link. So it is not the vagaries of nature that forced people to flee from the life they have known, it is the corrupt political, administrative and religious system that has caused this.

The second sentence reads "We adopted the island and the entire population, making sure they rediscovered, their cherished earlier style of life" When was island of Vanxim adopted by Ozone? Under which law? Under whose authority? People are working and earning their livelihood for themselves and their families. Who is Ozone to write that they have adopted us in Vanxim? Are we orphans? Mass of People from Vanxim has already decided that Ozone should get out of Vanxim and here is the links to the scanned letter to the Chief Minister in case any one forgot.

Perhaps filing of criminal cases and arrests of Vanxim women was the symptoms of delinquent adopted children gone astray and paternal discipline was called for with collaboration with local MLA Madkaikar and PI Corte of Old Goa Police station.   

We request everyone to share this post widely so that truth of Vanxim Island and its population adoption by Ozone corporate is known far and wide. And yes we are eager to know the response from the office of the Goa Archbishop where this scam originated. We are waiting for the NOC from tenants association of Vanxim that Archbishop says exists but kept secret for few decades.Why? When it will be made public?

Mobile Towers radiation monitoring a must in Goa

It is confirmed yet again that mobile companies are allowed to operate in Goa without any mechanism in place to check their tower radiation emission. Goa though has State Telecom Committee headed by its Chief Secretary with officials Chief Town Planner, Secretary (Urban Development)  with member-secretary of Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) currently it looks to be in paralysis, in active. The situation is dangerous not only to human beings but to every life form in Goa. 

Goa has no facility to monitor radiation in spite of recent bravado talks by State Political leaders like Manohar Parrikar and Vijay Sardesai. Goa wrote to Term Cell in Nagpur Maharashtra on 09/09/2016 to carry on EMI monitoring but nothing has happened till date in spite of one reminder letter after gap of 15 months and 15 days on 24/01/2018.  Still there is no reply. Goa Government wrote again on 15/03/2018 to Nagpur and still hope to get reply.

Why Goa government still lingering on Nagpur for radiation monitoring in Goa?Are there no other agencies who can do monitoring and give radiation update reports?

Now the ball is in the court of Member - Secretary, Goa State Telecom Committee to act. We share here the documents in this regard for wider public to know and act. BMM has followed up we have received above replies from GSPCB Superintending Engineer Shivanand Salelkar. How mobile towers are sanctioned in the first place without radiation monitoring in place in Goa? Forever depend upon term cell in Nagpur? And as now is the case they ignore Goa's requests Goa Government keeps silent over such a massive disaster? If Goa continues to be incompetent in radiation monitoring then they should be shut down till monitoring facility is set up in Goa State.

Several people and groups all over Goa has filed complaints against mobile towers fearing radiation threats to life but Goa's Ministry of environment is behaving totally irresponsible manner. It looks like Political leadership has no guts to speak out on this reality or are they been silenced by mobile phone companies?

Bharat Mukti Morcha has two complaints pending against mobile towers in Bambolim-Nauxim villages in Tiswadi taluka.

As it matters to human as well as other lives the Goa State Telecom Committee must be be decisive enough to act with immediate effect. Will Chief Secretary of Goa act on this or not? Or Goa CM Parrikar will stop any action on mobile towers? People of Goa are watching your irresponsibilities and are disgusted of your inaction for past year and half.