Extending full support to the fishermen community from Katem Baina who have been living under the threat of being evicted from their dwellings since the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) issued final notices to 120-odd residents, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado said as per law, the concerned fishermen would be rehabilitated first and only then their structures would be demolished. The fishermen community from Baina and Khariwado along with the members of Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) had approached Furtado on Sunday pleading him to pay a visit to the site where fishermen were living under the constant fear of demolition. The meeting was also attended by Fisheries Director Shamila Monteiro. Members of fishermen community highlighted their grievances and later informed Furtado that PWD owns a piece of land adjacent to the existing sewage treatment plant at Baina and if the state administration wanted to demolish their structures, the fishermen community could first be rehabilitated there which has been lying unused since it was acquired by the government. After listening to the fishermen’s plea and after visiting the suggested rehabilitation site, Furtado assured them that he would try his best to defer the demolition till monsoons were over and would also stress on the rehabilitation package for the affected fishermen.
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