PORVORIM
In a bid to ease the load on the Malim Jetty, Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar on Monday stated that a floating jetty would be constructed adjacent to the existing Malim Jetty at Penha da Franca at a cost of about Rs 10-15 crore.
Speaking to media persons after visiting the Malim jetty, Halarnkar stated that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the project, which will be under the PM Matsya Sampda Yojana, has already been sent to Delhi and work will start as soon as the project is approved by the Centre.
Director of Fisheries Yeshaswani B and the office bearers of Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd at Malim Jetty were also present during this occasion.
Speaking further, Halarnkar said the floating jetty would be beneficial to trawlers in reducing the waiting time to unload their catch.
The minister informed that the GIDC contractor had abandoned the Malim Jetty work and had left it incomplete.
“The GIDC had started the work to construct and upgrade the fishing jetty at Malim (North Goa) and Cortalim (South Goa) at a cost of Rs 59 crore in 2017. The work was scheduled to have been completed in May 2023,” said Halarnkar
He also instructed officials to resolve the problems faced by trawler owners at Malim Jetty.
When contacted, Mandovi Fishermen Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd Vice-Chairperson Harshad M Dhond mentioned that the office bearers of their association had conveyed to the minister about the problems being faced by small trawler owners.
“There are plenty of small trawlers operating at Malim. They sustain damages on account of paucity of space at the Jetty. Hence, we impressed upon the minister the urgent need to set up a floating jetty. The minister has assured to construct the floating jetty as soon as an approval is received from the Centre,” said Dhond.
“The association also requested the minister to direct GSIDC to complete the work of the jetty which was abandoned by the contractor more than 4 years ago. Almost 10-12 contractors took up this work but they abandoned the work in between, for the reasons best known to them. We have requested the minister to request the GSIDC to also complete the work of Administrative and Toilet blocks and STP as early as possible. He has assured to look into this matter,” said Dhond.
