Port Development in Goa Threatens to Wipe out Fishing Communities

As part of the central government’s Sagarmala port development project, the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) is planning to undertake construction of new jetties and cargo berths along a stretch of beach in Khariwado village. Located near Vasco Da Gama, Khariwado is a fishing community that has seen its natural resources dwindle over the years, and the new construction projects stand to eliminate and contaminate much of the remaining beach in the area. Dredging of the beaches will destroy the livelihoods of many in the community, and the MPT has informed some residents that their homes will be demolished in order to make way for construction. To date, the government has offered no resettlement & rehabilitation (R&R) plan to address this problem.