Team Goemkarponn
KHAREWADO: After years of neglect and persistent demands from the fishing community, the Kharewado fishing jetty in Vasco will finally get a much-needed public toilet facility. A foundation stone was laid on Tuesday for the construction of a seven-seater Sulabh Souchalaya complex at the jetty, marking a long-awaited step toward improving hygiene and infrastructure for the hundreds of fishermen and boat operators working in the area.
The foundation stone was laid by Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) chairman and Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, in the presence of Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar, former minister and All Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association (GFBOA) president Jose Philip D’Souza, and several local fishermen and stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Amonkar said the project was a long-standing demand of the fishing community and would now finally take shape as a state-of-the-art facility.
“This is a very important project and has been a long-pending demand from the people working at the jetty,” Amonkar said. “The facility will be constructed under the Sulabh Souchalaya scheme and will include separate units for men, women, and the differently-abled. The total cost of the project is ₹1.03 crore, and we plan to provide modern amenities such as hand dryers, wash basins, bathroom facilities, and even a music system.”
Amonkar added that due to the jetty’s low-lying location, precautions are being taken to prevent seawater ingress.
“The area where the toilet is being built is prone to flooding during high tide. Hence, we are raising the plinth level and constructing a retaining wall to ensure the structure remains dry and durable,” he said. “Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar had been consistently following up on this proposal, and I’m glad that once I took over the department, we were able to clear the file and begin the work. This facility will greatly benefit boat operators and workers who use this jetty daily.”
Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar, who has been actively pursuing sanitation and infrastructure upgrades in the port town, said it was significant that the first foundation stone laid by the new SIDCGL chairman was in Vasco. “It’s a proud moment that our neighbouring MLA, who now heads the SIDCGL, began his first official work right here in Vasco,” Salkar said. “This toilet facility was the need of the hour, and GFBOA president Jose Philip D’Souza had been following up with me continuously. After so many years of requests, it is satisfying to finally see this project begin.”
He added that the new Sulabh Souchalaya would serve nearly 2,000 workers operating at the Kharewado jetty. “The government has been taking several sewerage and sanitation initiatives to improve public facilities. This elevated toilet block, complete with a retaining wall, is one such effort. We want to take up more development works at this jetty, but at times we face delays due to lack of cooperation from certain authorities, including the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA). Still, we will continue to push for better amenities for our fishing community,” he said.
GFBOA president Jose Philip D’Souza called the new project a “milestone moment” for Kharewado and thanked both MLAs for ensuring that the fishermen’s long-pending demand was finally fulfilled.
“We are grateful to MLA Krishna Salkar and SIDCGL chairman Sankalp Amonkar for this project,” D’Souza said. “Even the Fisheries Director, an IAS officer, had pointed out the urgent need for toilet facilities at the jetty to maintain hygiene and stop open defecation. This project marks the beginning of better days for our fishing community. We can also see that repair works on the jetty have started, which is a positive sign.”
He also made a fresh appeal to the government to clear pending subsidies and repair the internal roads leading to the jetty.
“We request the authorities to address our subsidy issues and ensure proper road repairs at the jetty. The current patchwork and mixing are not effective, and we need durable road infrastructure to support the heavy movement of boats and vehicles,” D’Souza said.
The new seven-seater Sulabh Souchalaya at Kharewado is expected to not only enhance sanitation standards at the jetty but also mark the beginning of a series of long-overdue infrastructural improvements for one of Goa’s busiest traditional fishing hubs.
