The Port town of Mormugao Harbour came to a grinding halt. This morning when
students teachers and office goers besides the "aam aadmi" ventured for their
daily chores they were welcomed by a total Bandh. Schools continued with their
classes and some office goers in private firms reached their work place (the
train service ensures this in the event of any Bandh).. While the heat of the
agitation was focussed on the Port area the fishing harbour at Vasco da Gama,
the sea front resembled of a World war II like situation where fishing
trawlers barges lay on the periphery of the ocean going vessels.
This was supposed to be a blockade of sorts, which could compel any charterer
to lay compensation claims from the MPT for what in port terminology is termed
as demmurage. Thus this time it would not be the Mormugao Port Trust one of
the 12 major ports having a natural harbour that would be claiming it from the
shipping vessels but vice versa.
While the newly christened umbrella of several associations viz" Mormugao
Bachao Andolan " MBA under the stewardship of Simon Pereira all linked with sea
related activity at the Port viz barge owners, fishing trawlers, passenger
vessels, and small fishing boats besides other NGOs,have made their stand clear
that they are not against the Mormugao Port Trust (a Central organisation which
indeed has rendered yeomen service to the Union Territory and the Port both to
sustain the mining of exports, tourism, container services exports imports of
industrial products etc to the State or which use the Port for onward despatch
of goods;) what seems to be the crux of the issue is the rather "high-handed
attitude of the Indian Revenue Service CEO the MPT Chairman Mr Pravin Agarwal
IRS in redressing to several of the issues put up before the MPT .
Interestingly a) bunkering facilities for barges operating at the Panaji
Port;b) use of local passenger vessels by
the contractors undertaking works at the Port; c) inclusion of a local
representative on the Board of the Mormugao Port Trust seem to be the inner
concern of the MBA. However the setting up of fishing jetty and other
development activities along the Baina beach and opposite island too have been
all culled together. Further to consolidate their demands the growing coal
pollution caused by transportation of ore from sea to land was hyped to get the
full support of the local community which have been affected most due to land
and sea breeze. Though the invisible pollution caused by the petroleum product
terminals have been a greater hazard it is the visible coal dust along the
roads and in the atmosphere which has attracted oppostion.
However the drama which unfurled today was not without warning. Over a week
the politicians irrespective of political affiliation joined hands -- there was
the BJP MLA Mormguao also Mormnugao Municipal Councillor Mr Milind Naik, Mr
Mauvin Godinho Deputy Speaker and MLA Cortalim and Mr Jose Filipe D Souza MLA
Vasco da Gama that joined hands. Not to be left out the fishing associations
from Cutobona Velim too joined todays bandh by bringing their fishing trawlers
to the Harbour.
Early morning as a warning of things to unfurl during the day a Kadamba
Transport Corporation bus GA-01-X-332 window pane was struck by a sharp object
which resulted in a broken glass pane . The bus was detained at the
Vasco-da-Gama Police Station. From then on the KTC withdrew all their buses
proceeding to Mormugao Harbour and made a detour from the Headland Sada.
However the MPT buses were seen freely moving to and fro Headland Sada and
Vasco-da-Gama and outside the Port town. Motorcyle pilots made a quck earning
in the absence of all public transport. The KTC buses were however plying from
the outskirts of the Port town and in the evening too.
The fish vegetable meat and fruits vendors too were off in support of the
strike, Essential services were however unaffected.
Contingents of CRPF were seen manning all the gates to the Berths and the Oil
tank installation to avert any calamity.
Many feel that the precursor to this agitation against the Chairman is also
because of attempts to relocate religious structures in the name of carrying
out developmental works. The community were appalled by the unconvincing
reasons the Chairman adduced to justifying the relocation of these age old
structures.
When this writer spoke to some of the agitationist telephonically late evening
it became amply clear that an adamant Chairman would ultimately have to pack
his bags and move off.
Interestingly yet another precussor to the agitation was the issue of the MPT
issuing a notice to public on its jurisdiction which covers every inch of the
coast line along the Mormugao Tiswadi and right upto to the Betul Port and
cautioning that any activity along these notified areas would attract penal
action under the Ports Trust Act of 1963. According to Mr Agarawal vide the
above notice the MPT Chairman was only reiterating the legal position as laid
down in the statute. The Government of Goa however did not take this
advertisement lying down after some activists and industry warned the Goa
Government to act and immediately.
CM Digamber Kamat infact acted promptly and constituted a Group of Ministers to
look into the whole gamut of issues
a) jurisdiction of MPT,
b) examine the letter from Ministry of Shipping Govt of India for setting up an
international size shipyard on the West coast of India
c) 4 developmental projects proposed to be taken up by MPT Augumentation and
expansion of Port Infrastructure in the country
The Ministers are a) Francisco X Pacheco Minister (Ports) Mr Joaquim Alemao
Minister (Fisheries) Mr Jose Philip D Souza Minister (Revenue) Mr Churchill
Alemao Minister (PWD) Mr Filipe Neri Rodrigues Minister Water Resources, Mr
Aleixo Sequeira Minister (Environment) and Dr M Modassir Secretary (Ports).
The same was notified on 22.1.2008. Apparently this amounts to the Government
getting set to reiterate its own stand and maintain jurisdiction over its
territory notwithstanding the legal status quoted by the Ports authority. If
need be the Port Act could be amended he is reported to have said to some
industrialists.
However, one retired official from the Ports authority who has settled down in
Goa post superannuation admitted discreetly to this writer in a brief teletalk
that there was a sinister design on hand which had the blessings of the Union
Minister of Shipping and Transport (MOST) Mr T R Baalu a DMK MP . The emerging
opportunities at the 12 major ports is a sequel to the Union Minister having
posted his Man Friday to do his bidding. At the MPT there is the deepening of
the approach canal Berth No 9 to increase the draught at a cost of 161 crores;
the cruise and container terminal at Baina 185 crores the construction of two
berths at Vasco da Gama Bay 120 crores the development of Berth no 7 for bulk
cargo 140 crores and transhippers for iron ore export 140 crores.
Given the coalition politics the UPA Government who needs the support of the
DMK may meet with little success to remove the protege of the Union Minister
viz the MPT Chairman Mr P Agarwal. It is also learnt that Mr P C Agarwals
posting was in lieu of a Christian IAS officer in another Central Ministry who
had to be sidelined in favour of the DMK's choice.
Mr Baalu himself a veteran in shipping matters with his earlier stints
apparently has had several global players to venture in the Port expansion
projects and hence he may have felt that a ruthless CEO alone could make the
mark. Apparently todays all party opposition and a showdown in the Mormugao
Taluka which may continue until tommorrow may find the Union Minister of
Shipping having to remove his protege to bring down frayed tempers.
from the Mormugao Harbour end
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
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