Inspection team carries out exercise with police protection on property of tourism department, to submit report to district Collector
MARGAO
Tension rent the air at Colva beach on Friday after traditional fishermen protested over the inspection carried out by the Taluka Level Committee of the two huts that have allegedly come on the Tourism department property.
While the inspecting team carried out the exercise with police protection and will submit its report to the district Collector, who is the Chairman of the District Level Committee, the fishermen sent a message loud and clear that they have the right over the property, though acquired by the Tourism department, to pursue their fishing activities.
The District Level Committee was requested by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) Director, Dashrath Redkar to inspect and verify into the complaint that Colva panchayat member Domingo Rodrigues has allegedly erected two huts right on the seashore in the Tourism department property.
Even as the inspecting team pointed out that the report would be submitted to the district Collector for further action, Domingo and other fishermen pointed out that the traditional fishermen have been carrying out the fishing activities on the beach much before tourism came to the State.
“My grandparents and parents were into the fishing occupation and I have been personally pursuing the occupation for the last 40 years. Our ancestors have erected the huts to store the fishing gear and I have been using the huts over the years. There are around 150-200 huts of fishermen on the Colva beach,” Domingo said.
He added: “If the Tourism department had acquired the land from the owners, we the fishermen are ready to take the land to pursue our occupation. After a day out in the sea for fishing, we cannot take our canoes to our place of residence. We need a place to anchor our canoes and store our nets. The huts are not pucca structures, but made of thatched leaves.”
Fisherwomen Alice Fernandes pointed out that former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had allowed them to use the Tourism department acquired land to pursue the fishing activity. “Fishing activity takes place on the shore and not in the hinterland. We cannot be told to go to Birla or Moti Dongor with our canoes. We should be provided with land to anchor our boats and store fish, salt and the nets,” Alice said, while even saying the fishermen are willing to purchase the land in question in order to pursue their traditional occupation.
She added: “When the Tourism department had drawn plans over a decade ago to demolish our huts, we had knocked the doors of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, whose intervention had saved our huts and our occupation.”
She pointed out that Parrikar wanted to utilise the acquired land for tourism, but he backtracked after the traditional fishermen questioned him whether the government wanted to spell death for traditional fishermen and their livelihood by displacing them from the fishing habitat.
Sisto Rodrigues said he had lodged a complaint against Domingo for erecting the alleged illegal huts. “I have not lodged complaints against other fishermen because Domingo is a panch member and can misuse his position. If he has any papers to show the huts are legal, let him submit to the authorities,” Sisto said, adding that he would take the matter to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to ensure the two huts are razed down.
