With LPG shortage, Malim fishermen refuse diesel stoves

Panaji: The ongoing commercial LPG shortage in Goa has spelled trouble for the fishing community at Malim Jetty, where operators are refusing to adopt diesel stoves and warning of prolonged disruption to fishing activity.Boat owners at Malim have currently taken a firm stand against switching fuel sources, even as their counterparts in Vasco have begun using diesel stoves to continue operations.Francisco D’Souza, chairman of the Mandovi Fisheries Cooperative Society, said, “Diesel stoves are not a viable alternative for our fishing vessels. We want to go only with LPG cylinders. Otherwise, we cannot run the boat.”According to him, around 75% of the 150 mechanised trawlers from Malim Jetty have already ventured out to sea.

However, uncertainty looms over their return, with operators indicating that boats may be forced to remain anchored if LPG supplies are not restored in time. “When cylinders are available, then only we will start the boats again,” he told TOI.The shortage has already begun to impact operations on the ground. Harshad Dhond, president of the All Goa Purse Seine Boat Owners Association, said several boats have stopped functioning due to lack of fuel for onboard cooking.

“I have anchored two boats already,” he said.Dhond said that only those boats that have spare cylinders have managed to go out to sea, and even these are short trips. With no clarity on when supplies will resume, they are being forced into difficult decisions. “I don’t know what we will do. The crisis is also affecting workers dependent on the fishing sector,” he said.