Call on govt to set in motion process to build 50-seater toilet block
MARGAO
In a move expected to tone up sanitation at the dengue and cholera-hit Cutbona fishing jetty, boat owners under the banner of Cutbona Boat Owners Federation on Sunday have resolved to bear the cost amounting to Rs 10 lakh a month towards the upkeep and maintenance of sanitation at the jetty.
The boat owners, however, have requested the government to immediately set in motion the process to build the 50-seater toilet block at the Cutbona fishing jetty so that the toilet block takes shape at the earliest.
The meeting of the Cutbona Boat Owners Federation assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of government’s warning to seal the Cutbona fishing jetty if the fishing stakeholders do not cooperate with the government to improve sanitation and hygiene.
In fact, Federation President Antonio Fernandes, Patrick D’Silva and Sebastiao Cardozo made it amply clear to the boat owners that they now run the risk of the closure of the jetty by the government if they do not bear the cost of upkeep and maintenance of the portable toilets.
Briefing the boat owners over the deliberations, the Federation members had with Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira and Fisheries officials at the district Collectorate in the last three days, Patrick D’Silva pointed out that the government want the boat owners to bear the cost of the portable toilets as well as their upkeep and maintenance. He said the private firm CAM has given a quotation, charging Rs 10 lakh a month towards supplying the toilets as well as their upkeep and maintenance. “We have been given a deadline to deposit the money with the contractor by Wednesday. Hence, this meeting has been called to request the boat owners to contribute the money towards sanitation,” he said.
Patrick said those boat owners who refuse to contribute to improve the sanitation will have to face the music from the Fisheries department.
When boat owner Kennedy Alemao raised the question of requesting the fish agents to contribute to the sanitation fund, he was informed that the fish agents can be roped in to contribute at a later stage.
After much discussion, the boat owners have decided to contribute funds to improve the sanitation. While the big size fishing vessels will contribute Rs 5,000, the fishing trawlers will be charged Rs 3,000 per month.
Sebastiao Cardozo informed that the boat owners have decided to cooperate with the government agencies to tone up sanitation pending construction of the 50-seater toilet block. He said the government has set Thursday as the deadline to deposit the money with the sanitation contractor or face sealing of the jetty.
Boat owners, however, insisted that the government should expedite the process of construction of the 50-seater toilet block at Cutbona which has been pending for the last 10 years.
