From: Goanet News Proposed Port Development in Goa Threatens to Wipe out Fishing Communities
Sagarmala, a project designed to modernise India's ports, threatens to wipe out the livelihoods of fisherfolk in Goa. Fishing is the economic mainstay of several communities in the coastal state of Goa. But mechanisation of fishing, coupled with industrialisation and environmental degradation, is threatening the livelihoods of traditional fishing communities. The fishing community in Khariwado, a kilometre-long stretch in Vasco da Gama, which has seen its fortunes dwindle over time, is now opposing a new project that threatens to wipe out their source of livelihood. The beach is contiguous with the Mormugao Port, one of the biggest ports in India, and has borne the onslaughts of controversial port expansion projects over theyears. 60 percent of the beach is already contaminated, and the remaining 40 percent has disappeared altogether. Further dredging will wipe out the entire beach, says Olencio Simoes, Vice Chairperson of the National Fishworkers Forum. ------------------GL responds: As a distant-resident reader of this news: how does expansion of Goa's solitary seaport destroy the fishing industry of the entire state? Reading the state of the fishing in the area that is planned to be reclaimed for the port, it would appear that the fisherfolk and the Goans would be better served with port-expansion that would serve the entire state (and create jobs - export/import, uploading/downloading containers) rather than the Goans feeding off the contaminated fish. An expanded port could also serve to export Goan fish-produce creating greater wealth for Goan fishing industry. Is this another one of those post of Goans opposing any progress? Regards, GL | | Virus-free. www.avast.com |
