BJP government compromised on river Mhadei for political gains with Karnataka, charges Oppn party
Panaji: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Sunday vowed to protect the interest of the fishermen community and save houses and businesses from the coastal belt once it comes to power.
The Youth Congress on Sunday organised a fishing competition opposite the Old Secretariat in the city along Mandovi river. Around 200 people participated in this competition. During this activity, Congress leaders hit out at the BJP government for not taking care of Mandovi river, which is being polluted by sewage from casinos and plastic garbage.
GPCC president Girish Chodankar, president of Youth Congress, Varad Mardolkar, former city mayor Uday Madkaikar, Tony Rodrigues, chairman of Congress fishermen committee Vasant Gopi Naik, Daya Carapurkar, Nagesh Karishetty, Janardhan Bhandari, Archit Naik, Saish Aroskar, Vyas Prabhu Chodnekar, Yash Kochrekar, Olencio Simoes, Mazinho Fernandes, Vivek D’Silva, Roshan Chodankar, Nikita Waingade, Himanshu Tivrekar, Akshay Kambli, Paigambar Nadaf, Prabhav Mhambre, Mukta Fondvekar, Sanket Bhandari, Peter Fernandes, Macronel Ferraro, Sourav Bhagat, Riyaz Sayyed and others were present.
Girish Chodankar, speaking on the occasion, said that the BJP government compromised on river Mhadei for political gains with Karnataka and, hence balance of salinity of Mandovi river has got disturbed.
“Earlier fresh water of Mhadei used to balance the salinity of Mandovi river, but after its diversion it is disturbed,” Chodankar claimed. He said the BJP government has also failed to monitor pollution taking place in Mandovi river. “Instead of fish, there was catch of plastic during this competition. This suggests that there is a need to clean this river and keep watch that further pollution will not take place,” he said.
Mardolkar said that once the Congress comes to power interest of all fishermen from the coastal area will be protected. “This government has sidelined our traditional fishermen,” Mardolkar said.
Uday Madkaikar said that due to the jetties of casinos along Mandovi river, people are not getting opportunities to catch fish here. “We witness daily traffic jams due to these jetties. But once we come to power, we will take care of all these problems,” he said.
Olencio Simoes noted that the new port law has made MPT an autonomous body and has given some rights. “MPT may lease all these coastal places, depriving Goenkars of carrying out business,” he said, referring to how shack owners were asked to take permissions from MPT.
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