NT NETWORK
VASCO
With National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) adopting strict policy, around 35 sheds erected by fishermen for storing fishing equipment and which were hindering the four-lane highway work at Desterro were removed by owners themselves, on Tuesday.
As per available information, NHAI had warned the fishing community members about action if they do not raze down their sheds. NHAI had earlier demolished several houses in order to give way for the construction of the four-lane highway connecting to berth 9 of Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
As there were no facilities available for the stocking of fishing equipment, the fishermen had erected temporary sheds where they stored fishing equipment such as nets, motors and also housed labourers.
NHAI project director C O P Furtado warned the fishermen to evict from the sheds and also requested them to raze down the sheds failing which the NHAI would be forced to bulldoze them with the help of demolition squad. A strong posse of police was deployed at the site in order to avoid any untoward incident.
Power Minister Milind Naik said that a proposal for constructing two sheds exclusively for the benefit of fishermen of Desterro and Baina is in final stages and that he is constantly doing a follow up on the issue with Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado and the fisheries department.