PANAJI: Allaying all fears as regards the proposed nationalisation of six Goan rivers, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday assured the state legislative assembly that the government would take all precautions before signing a related memorandum of understanding with the central government.
He was replying to a calling attention motion from Independent Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai, who brought to the notice of the House that the decision of the central government to declare six Goan rivers as national waterways would do no good to the state.
“The related excessive dredging of rivers would convert Goa into fishless state, with traditional fishermen suffering in the process,” he added, pointing out that the nationalised rivers in Goa would then only cater to shipping of coal, instead of transporting passengers, and in turn helping industrialists namely Adanis and Jindals, thus converting Goa into a coal hub.
The Union ministry of shipping has a proposal to nationalise six Goan rivers, including Mandovi, Zuari, Cumbharjua, Chapora, Mapusa and Sal, as part of the nationalisation of 106 rivers across the country.
The Chief Minister said the dredging proposed under the nationalisation of rivers is “essential” dredging of rivers and not the “capital” dredging. “And then the national waterways-related MoU is yet to be drafted,” he added, reiterating that the government would be careful before signing the document. Stating that if the government desires to sign the MoU, then it should do the same only after discussing the document in the House threadbare, the Fatorda MLA said that the Inland Authority of India would turn out to be a new Mormugao Port Trust for Goa, controlling all the rivers of Goa, after their nationalisation.
“We want our rivers to be used for passenger transport and not for helping some non-Goan industrialists to prosper,” he maintained, cautioning that the central government would destroy the riverine ecosystem of Goa through its river nationalisation project.