The Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has demanded that the state government must intervene into the central government’s decision for providing autonomy to major ports including Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), failing which they will be compelled to revolt against the government. The GRE also demanded to rollback the proposal by the Union Ministry of Shipping. Addressing a press conference, GRE general secretary Olencio Simoes slammed the central government and the Union Ministry of Shipping for attempting to provide autonomy to India’s top 12 major ports including MPT. The decision to replace the existing Major Port Trust Act, 1963 with Central Port Authorities Act 2016 is against the fishermen community as the new act will empower port authorities to blatantly lease out land to big corporates said Simoes. He further said that the autonomy will give full power to the port authorities to enter into contracts, plan and develop the port, fix tariffs etc, as per their wishes. This is very similar to Special Economic Zones (SEZs) wherein the government and the people will have no say whatever MPT does, stated Simoes.If the 2016 Act comes into play, the coastline from Betul to Dona Paula will belong to MPT in toto, which means persons like fishermen whose livelihood depends on the coast will have to forgo their activities, thereby forcing the traditional fishermen to give up their occupation he said. Meanwhile the GRE general body also elected its new committee. Agnelo Rodrigues has been re-elected the president, while Vasant Naik has been elected as vice-president, Olencio Simoes as general secretary, Mercy D’Mello as secretary, Caji D’Mello as treasurer.
2016 GOACOM.COM