PANAJI: Ahead of the March 10 meeting of the Union environment ministry’s expert appraisal committee, a fishermen’s union from Goa has written to the committee demanding scrapping of the AHOY Marina project planned at Nauxi. The fishermen have said that the project has been planned without considering the rights of the fishermen operating along this stretch of Goa’s coast.
The committee at its meeting is set to consider extension of the terms of reference of the project, which had earlier been put on hold by the Goa government following opposition from locals.
An extension in the terms of reference will amount to revival of the marina project, locals fear.
“The lease agreement that is based upon the ports land policy prepared by the Union ministry of shipping is based on unjust principles that ignore fishing activities in the Zuari,” the All Goa Small-Scale Responsible Fisheries Union said.
Kargwal Constructions had signed a concession agreement with MPT for a 30-year lease to establish a marina in its waters. AHOY Marina will have a water spread area of 1 lakh sqm and land area of 50,000 sqm to establish the project.
The fishermen said the project will destroy the livelihood of those operating on this stretch, adversely impact the local ecology and also affect the food security of locals.
The proposed marina is envisaged to accommodate 239 boats on the northern bank of the Mormugao bay on the opposite site of Mormugao Port Authority (MPA).
“The MPA has not manufactured the Zuari to claim jurisdiction over it and to lease it whimsically to anyone of their choice by ignoring fishing communities actively carrying on livelihood practices,” the association said.
