http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2018/02/letter-to-goa-fisheries-minister.html
07th February 2018 To, The Minister of Fisheries, Government of Goa, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa Subject: Objections to declaration of Goa’s Rivers as National Waterways Sir, We have noted that for past two months you have being carrying on series of dialogues across Goa including at Morjim and Caranzalem. One of the persistent issues raised at these meetings is about objections to declaration of Goa’s rivers as National Waterways. We wish to state as follows: 1. We have already filed our objections with Captain of Ports on these issue on two occasions dealing in detail. However for your immediate reference we share online links to the same. The first letter is here: http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2017/11/objections-to-declaration-of-goa-rivers.html The second letter is here: http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2017/12/serious-objections-to-signing-any-mou.html You may certainly know that our two complaints are mentioned in Goa Assembly reply on this issue by Ports Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar on December 18, 2017 in response to question raised by MLA Reginaldo Lourenco. 2. Secondly we request you to read up the transcripts of the speech of MLA Vijay Sardessai in Goa Legislative Assembly delivered on 08/08/2016. He waged strongest criticism on this subject. He stated that Goa’s rivers are going to be without fish. 3. Thirdly, we draw your attention to the highly objectionable text of draft MoU given by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to Benaulim Churchill Alemao on December 11, 2017 at Menezes Braganza Hall, Panjim in your presence. Here is an extract of this text “Ensure unrestricted development and utilization of National Waterways by regulating the existing fishing activities carried through stake net fishing, barrier net, River gill, river cages and fishing by any registered gear. Views of local fishermen area shall however be taken into consideration before finalization of a site for development by COP and IWAI” As a Goa’s Fisheries Minister of Goa it is your duty to defend fishing spaces as well as defend fishermen for it is favorite diet of hundreds of people of Goa. If you do not object this then effect on fishing will be severe blow. In the light of the above we call upon you to do the following: 1. Write to Government of India to exclude Goa’s rivers as National Waterways as past Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has given his consent without consenting people of Goa and even Goa Cabinet. 2. Install study mechanism in place at Goa Fisheries department to defend Fisheries. We have already submitted our letter to you dated 14/12/2017 requesting you to set up Fisheries Defense Study Cell. Here is online links to our letter to you: http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2017/12/call-to-set-up-fisheries-defence-study.html Kindly act swiftly or else this lead to unpredictable irreversible and dangerous consequences to Food Security in Goa. We request you to act boldly just the way you did in earlier cases of removing Director of Fisheries, banning LED fishing and bull fishing, defending fishing in Zuari River from illegal fishing by Trawlers and per seine boats. We assure you of our co-operation and support to you. Thanking you, Yours Sincerely, Maggie Silveira, President, Goa State Sanjay Pereira Convener, Cacra unit Rohidas Andrade Convener, Bambolim unit Socorro Braganza Convener, Siridao Unit Anthony Cardozo Convener, Curca Unit Sitaram Pereira Convener, Odxel Unit Milind Palkar Convener, Nauxi unit Ms. Kalpana Diukar Co-convenor, Odxel Unit Chandrakant Lotlikar Secretary, Siridao Unit Hanuman Dias Co-convenor, Odxel Unit Honu Divkar, Co-convener, Odxel Unit Deu Kankonkar Secretary, Nauxi Unit Yeshwant Shirvoikar, Co-convener, Odxel Unit Manguesh Sawant, Co-convener, Odxel unit Amir Mardolkar, Co-convener, Nauxim Unit Francis Coelho, Co-convener, Nauxim Unit Ms. Jaya Kuttikar Co-convenor, Odxel Unit Jonu Shirvoikar, Co-convenor, Odxel Unit Ms. Sheila D’mello, Co-convener, Cacra Unit Ashok Kukalkar Co-convenor, Odxel Unit Ganashyam Diukar Co-convenor, Odxel Uttam Martins C0-convener, Odxel Unit Rohit Hadkonkar, Co-convenor, Bambolim Unit Sanju Diukar Co-convenor, Odxel Unit, Chandrakanth Rosario Co-convenor, Cacra Unit Vijay Sawant Co-convenor, Cacra Unit Ragunath Sautodkar Co-convenor, Cacra Unit Mahadev Andre Rosario Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit
