Urging the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to address pressing issues affecting their livelihoods, Goa’s fishing community has sought relaxation from the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rule to safeguard traditional fishermen’s houses and allied occupations from demolition and secondly they have also requested licences for traditional fishermen to operate guesthouses for tourists at their establishments.
They have also appealed to the Central and State governments in this regard. Their main grouse is that due to the illegalities of the former Arambol Sarpanch, there is a blanket approach on all of their dwellings and establishments. They have also vehemently denied any alleged illegality on their part and complained that they have not been provided with justice. “We have already asked Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira to look into this, and he assured us that once the Assembly is over, he will sit with us. But we want the Prime Minister to give us these two assurances first during his visit to Goa on February 6,” said Pele Fernandes from Benaulim.
Fishermen from various parts of Goa gathered at the Secretariat in Panjim to address CRZ issues and ongoing government surveys on their land. Fishermen from South and North Goa complained of unfair harassment by government agencies such as Fisheries, Tourism, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), and the Directorate of Panchayats. “If a businessman from Delhi wants to set up something here, their work is done quickly, but when we want to do something, we face action,” a fisherman quipped.
The fishermen said they are not against the law but feel there are flaws in the existing CRZ data with the government, which they claim are based on outdated surveys and unaddressed regulatory gaps. “The CRZ rules in fact speak about protecting the rights of fishermen and ensuring that they have sustainable livelihoods. We have informed the Chief Minister, the Attorney General of Goa, and the Fisheries Department, and we need due consideration. This is something our forefathers were doing, and we should not be targeted like this,” said Roy Barretto from Mobor.
“The government is relying on data from a survey carried out in 1971. The regulation came into force in 1991. There was no proper survey carried out between then and the CRZ notification. This is a matter of our livelihood. We have our documents and other materials to prove, but these are not being considered, and the authorities have come to seal them. We deserve better,” said a fisherman from Arambol.
They added that even those whose establishments were not in the ‘No Development Zone’ are being wrongly harassed. Cavelossim sarpanch Dixon Vaz appealed to the State government to pursue a CRZ law amendment with the Central government, aiming to protect the houses of Goans with traditional livelihoods such as ramponkars (fishermen), toddy tappers, etc. “We are not against what the High Court is saying. We are asking those who are enacting the law to give us a proper chance to hear us and take our views into consideration first. Please note that these places are all within the law,” Vaz added.
The fishing community added that their traditional establishments are also being used to store and mend their nets, dry their fish, etc. The fishermen argued that their houses have expanded naturally due to growing family sizes, all within their legitimate properties. They also asserted their right to explore tourism opportunities, given that they are ‘Niz Goenkars’