The Hindu : Karnataka News : NIO to study impact of dredging Sal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka

NIO to study impact of dredging Sal

Special Correspondent

Fishermen are against dredging
NIO told to submit report in 10 days

PANAJI: The Goa Government has asked National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) to conduct a study and submit a report in 10 days on the ecological aspects of dredging the Sal in south Goa.

Chief Secretary J. P. Singh, who heads the Goa State Coastal Zone Regulatory Authority (GSCZRA), told The Hindu on Monday that he had spoken to S.R. Shetye, Director of NIO, and would hand over to him the data of an earlier environm ent impact assessment study. The NIO would correlate the data to come out with a status report, he said.

The dredging work has led to a controversy with local fishermen alleging that dredging and the proposed operation of casino vessels will destroy the rich marine habitat and obstruct movement of fishing trawlers.

The Government is trying to end the anti-dredging/casino boat agitation. People of some villages in the region, particularly fishermen, forced the Government to stop the dredging work recently.

Mr. Singh said that a decision on dredging would be taken based on the report by the NIO. He said that the agitators submitted a memorandum to the GSCRZA on Monday against dredging. He had forwarded it to the departments concerned such as Ports and Fisheries for their views. He had asked Leela Hotels to give its response to the memorandum and had given them a week following their request for time.

The opinion over the need for dredging the Sal, nevertheless, is divided. Mr. Singh said that there had also been a demand earlier that dredging was needed for the smooth operation of fishing trawlers. Moreover, the Fisheries Department had told him that a Central team was in Goa with a proposal for a Sal-based mini-fishing harbour.

Another issue raised by the agitators was over the area of operation of offshore casinos. “The Government will take a final view once NIO submits its report,” Mr. Singh said.

Declining to give any credence to the “blame-game” between local politicians over the issue, Chairman of Traditional Fishermen Association Elvin D’Silva said, “Fishermen have been fighting against dredging to protect their livelihood since 1998. We only want the casino boats out and the dredging stopped forthwith.”

He said when the Government first planned to dredge the river in 1998-99, they opposed it and got the plan scrapped.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka