National Fishworkers’ Forum & National Alliance of People’s Movements will join hands to fight the destructive port & corridor based development model
· Two-day national consultation on ‘Sagarmala’, concludes in Delhi
· NDA Government is trying to fool the coastal people by unviable projects
· Sagarmala will effectively promote real estate projects
· Joint actions planned by people’s movements in the entire coastal stretch between Gujarat and West Bengal
· More than a lakh of Fishworkers to participate in the series of actions
· NFF to hold Parliament Rally on 21st November 2016, on World Fisheries Day
· Coastal Yatra being planned by affected people from ten coastal states
· Consultation with communities demanded, to suit legitimate development needs in coastal areas
· “Privatisation and handing over of ports to companies like Adani will threaten India’s national national security”
· Fishworkers demand withdrawal of Sagarmala project
· Government should roll back the ‘Demonetisation’ policy, which has caused immense hardships to the coastal people and is hardly offering any scientific solution to the actual black money and corruption issue
Addressing the critical issues and concerns out of National Perspective Plan under the implementation for Sagarmala and Industrial Corridors along the Indian coastline, the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) and National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) leadership asserted that such projects were being approved without any thought going into the effects on the fishing community who are settled all along the coasts. It is also true that the original Sagarmala plan articulated under former PM Mr. A.B Vajpayee has been modified with large scale land and ocean grabbing, displacing the people and their right to life, livelihood and dignity. The ecological devastation has also been accelerated which is being sidelined in this massive push for development.
The Sagarmala project is primarily aimed at developing ports, transport through waterways and promote shipping, in other words it is just a port-based development model. However, a port-based development of multiple projects intended at bringing in foreign currency, should be understood differently from coastal development. Serious concerns are being raised about the environmental effects on the coasts with issues like coastal erosion, coastal accretion as well as severe problems of dredging and the effects on the sea bed due to this. It is a fact that construction of breakwaters is leading to such disturbance in the ocean current that fishworkers are not able to go into the sea to fish. Moreover, the massive increase in ports and coming in of huge projects under Sagarmala is not in coordination with the requirement and the feasibility of having a huge number of ports.
The ill effects of the Enayam port were highlighted which is an upcoming port in Tamil Nadu that is considered to be unviable and will also lead displacement in a thickly populated coastal district. The Vizhinjam port, already handed over to the Adani group, which is swallowing the entire coast, is being opposed by the fishing community in Thiruvananthapuram district. The expansion of the Kamraj Ennoore port, in Tamil Nadu, has already been opposed by community and experts alike. We demand that the viability studies be made public and the local community consent be made mandatory before going ahead with these unviable projects. Immediate cessation of all construction related activities must be done.
Fishworkers from Kutch, Gujarat highlighted the severe effects of the Adani port and Adani, Tata and OPG thermal power plants in the Mundra area on the traditional small fishermen who have faced effects on their livelihood. It was also mentioned that Adani acquired huge amounts of land on the coastline for the Mundra SEZ first, and caused all kinds of environmental violations. The most shocking has been the ease with which over 2500 acres of mangroves were removed and land filling was done by Adani, with impunity. These projects have also brought out severe effects on the marine ecology where up to 25 kms of coastline you can find dead fish because of massive amounts of toxins being released into the estuaries.
‘Sagarmala’ needs serious national assessment, from its different complexities. The industrial corridors, the economic corridors, smart cities, coastal investment regions like PCPIR and sagarmala are all a part of the larger plan for industrialization, which will destroy India’s vulnerable coastline.
The leaders also noted that the NDA Government’s demonetisation effort, under the pretext of curtailing black money, is hurting the fishing community across India – other than many other formal and informal production sectors. Without scientifically assessed reasons and a detailed cost-benefit analysis, it is scary that the Central Government has gone ahead with such a scheme, jeopardising the lives of the majority Indians, to catch a minority engaged in black money and illegal transactions.
The NFF and the NAPM will be taking forward their struggles on these issues with further discussions at the NFF General Body in Tuticorin (9th and 10th December 2016) and the NAPM National Convention in Patna (2-4 Dec 2016).
The World Fisheries Day is observed on November 21st every year and this year, the National Fishworkers Forum along with various other peoples movements, organizations and networks has given a call against ‘Ocean Grabbing’ and is highlighting the situation of the coasts in India today. In order to mark this day fisher people from different parts of the country will come together for a rally tomorrow (Monday) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar at 10am.
Issued on behalf of
NFF: M. Ilango (Chairperson), Narendra Patil (Gen Secretary) and T. Peter (Secretary)
NAPM: Rajendra Ravi (National Convener) and Madhuresh Kumar (National Organiser)
The port development projects are nothing but a convenient way of encouraging business corporates to carry on their exploitation on local Fisher persons and denigrating environment. The people of coastal areas must protest such moves as they effect the livelihood of most people in the areas.
SAGARMALA AND INDIAN PORTS ARE DOOMED WITH COVID WHICH HAS KILLED ALL EXPORTS ! IN ADDITION CARBON POLLUTION WILL KILL MINING AND MINERALS AND COAL EXIM !
TAKE THE CASE OF MORMUGAO PORT ! dindooohindoo
MPT GOA IS A LOSS MAKING VENtURE, POST THE BAN OF MINING IN GOA AND BAN ON COAL HANDLING AT MPT GOA.The Minister is on record stating that he wants to shut down MPT Goa ( as losses will keep rising, due to large staff costs, and their geometric costs – in terms of pensions and gratuity etc.)
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/goas-mormugao-port-might-shut-down-if-losses-mount-gadkari-5104550/
RELIANCE OF SOUTH BASED STEEL AND POWER PLANTS ON COAL AND ORE IMPORTS FROM MPT AND ITS IMPACT ON POLLUTION IN GOA AND THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE SAME AND THE PAST ACTIONS OF THE NGT AND THE GSPCB,GSCRZ – HAVE PLACED THE ROLE OF MPT IN SERIOUS DOUBT
THE ACTIONS OF MPT ARE QUESTIONABLE AND HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED BY THE NGT AS UNDER
•MPT Goa was granted the Environmental Clearance on 9th February, 2016,but the actual dredging activities has commenced from 1st January, 2016 in violation of the provisions of the Environmental (Protection) Act and EIA Notification, 2006 – as also stated in Para 22(b) of the NGT Order dated 2nd September,2016
•Environmental Clearance has been granted without the mandatory public hearing required for category ‘A’ projects as per the EIA Notification.
•NGT challenge to the thesis of MOT Goa that it was doing maintenance dredging and not capital dredging (Para 22(a) of the NGT Order dated 2nd September,2016)
•NGT Quashed the Order dated 23rd September, 2015,issued by MoEF giving exemption from public consultation to the capital dredging project of MPT Goa (Para 31 of the NGT Order dated 2nd September,2016)
•NGT confirms that the CRZ and EIA study was done on BEHALF OF JSW INFRASTRUCTURE (Para 33 of the NGT Order dated 2nd September,2016)
THE MOST DAMNING INDICTMENT OF MPT GOA COMES FROM PARA 48 OF THE NGT ORDER AS UNDER
•Para 48 of Order – .”Distinction has been totally ignored” and for “obvious reasons” the project which is a capital dredging is “construed as a maintenance dredging”, which is exempted under Clause-7 of the EIA Notification.
•Therefore, we have taken a view that it is not a neglect or omission, BUT MAY BE FOR SOME OTHER REASONS.
The nature of Goa and the location of the MPT terminals,jetties,storage yards,dolphins is such, that the open storage of coal in MPT Goa is swept into the entire VASCO residential areas,due to the wind speeds throughout the year,which peak at certain times of the year.
THE DOUBLE TRACKING OF KRC AND THE COAL EXPANSION OF MPT GOA, IS BEING DONE SOLELY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE OPERATIONS 1 STEEL COMPANY IN BELLARY.THE STATE OF GOA WIILL EARN NO DIRECT REVENUE FROM THE COAL TRANSIT VIA MPT GOA AND KRC.THE DREDGING OF THE PORT AND ITS DESTRUCTION OF THE ECO-SYSTEM AND IMPACT ON TOURISM – IS BEING DONE TO IMPORT BREA BULK CARGOS IN CAPEX SHIPS.THE ONLY BREAK BULK CARGO VIABLE IN CAPEX SHIPS – IS COAL IMPORTS WHICH IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF 1 STEEL COMPANY IN BELLARY.THERE IS NO DIRECT FINANCIAL OR FISCAL GAIN TO MPT GOA ON ACCOUNT OF THE DREDGING
MORE THAN 5 MILLIONS TONS OF IRON ORE WAS SMUGGLED AND ILLEGALLY EXPORTED FROM MPT GOA – AND THE MD OF MPT GOA IS ON RECORD STATING THAT THE PORT HAS NO INFRA TO TRACK IRON ORE QUALITY AND QUANTITY EXPORTED FROM MPT GOA.THE MD OF MPT GOA IS ON RECORD TO STATE THAT “THE STATE SHOULD STOP IRON ORE EXPORTS FROM MPT GOA”.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/%E2%80%98Panaji-port-used-as-gateway-for-exporting-illegal-ore/article20337622.ece
WITH THE LOSS MAKING OPERATIONS OF MPT GOA,IT IS VITAL TO ASSESS THE NATURE AND VALUE AND VOLUME OF EXIM TRANSACTIONS VIA THE PORT TO ASSESS THE COMMERCIAL VIABILITY OF THE PORT TO THE EXPORTER AND IMPORTERS.IF A PORT IS NOT VIABLE “FOR” THE USER – THEN THE PORT WILL BECOME BANKRUPT.THEREFORE,THE EXIM DATA OF THE PORT, NEEDS TO BE ANALYSED AS UNDER
• REPETITION,RECURRENCE AND FREQUENCY OF THE EXPORTS AND IMPORTS
• NATURE OF EXPORTERS (TRADERS OR MANUFACTURERS)
• SCALE OF EXPORTERS (LARGE UNITS OR SSI)
• MARKET OF EXPORTS (AFFECTED BY FX AND TRADE TREATIES)
• LOCATION OF EXPORTER (GOA,KARNATAKA OR OTHER STATE – DUE TO FREIGHT DIFFERENTIALS – ROAD AND SEA)
MPT GOA HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO ED AND DRI ENQUIRIES AND IT IS A FACT THAT MORE THAN 5 MILLION TONS OF IRON ORE WAS SMUGGLED FROM MPT GOA.THEREFORE,IT IS VITAL TO REVIEW THE NATURE AND TYPE OF EXIM ITEMS FROM THE PORT AND THE NATURE,SCALE,LOCATION AND TYPE OF EXPORTERS AND IMPORTERS FROM MPT GOA
• FOR THOSE WHO SAY THAT THIS IS THE WORK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT – THEN WHY DID CUSTOMS AND DRI NOT DETECT THE IRON ORE SMUGGLED FROM MPT GOA OVER YEARS
GOA IS ALSO A HUB FOR NARCO EXIM AND PRODUCTION AND TRADE OF DUAL USE CHEMICALS AND DRUGS – WHICH ARE IMPORTED AND EXPORTED FROM GOA AND OTHER PORTS.THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF FULL FLEDGED NARCO MANUFACTURER AND EXPORTER FROM GOA WHICH WAS OWNED AND FINANCED BY FOREIGN NATIONALS FOR YEARS AND WAS DETCTED BY THE DRI – AND NOT THE FDA OR THE ANC OF THE GOA POLICE.THE ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF KETAMINE IN THE PLANT WAS RS 300 CRORES AND THE PLANT AND GODOWN WAS OWNED BY A BJP MLA
.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/operation-vitamin-308-kg-ketamine-seized-from-goa-maharashtra-gujarat-10-arrested-186747
IS THE MPT GOA BEING USED TO SERVICE A FEW STEEL COMPANIES ? IS THE GOI MEANT TO SPEND 1000S OF CRORES TO REDUCE THE COST FOR STEEL COMPANIES ? IF MINING EXIM IS REDUCED FOR LEGAL OR TRADE REASONS THEN HOW WILLTHE PORT BE VIABLE? IS THE RESIDUAL EXIM OF THE PORT JUST TO PRESENT A LIE TO THE WORLD,THAT THE PORT IS CATERING TO OTHER TRADERS ? IN ESSENCE,IS MPT GOA A PRIVATE PORT FUNDED BY THE GOI ? IF THE MULTIMODAL LOGISTICS COSTS AND PORT CHARGES FROM MPT GOA FOR NON MINERAL TRADES ARE NOT VIABLE W.R.T JNPT AND SOUTH BASED PORTS – THEN HOW WILL MPT GOA BE VIABLE ?
WHY DO EXIM TRADES TAKE PLACE FROM MPT GOA ? IS IT BECAUSE OF LAX ENVIRONMENT AND POLLUTION NORMS ? IS IT THAT THE MPT GOA DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE ? IS THE DRI AND CUSTOMS SURVEILLANCE LAX IN MPT GOA ?
IF THE GOA GOVTT AND ACTIVISTS STOP COAL LOGISTICS IN GOA AND IRON AND BAUXITE MINING IN GOA IS BANNED OR RESTRICTED – HOW WILL MPT GOA BE VIABLE ?