Goa, June 10 -- With less than two months to go before the monsoon fishing ban ends, boat owners and traditional fishermen operating from and near the Cutbona Jetty are once again grappling with uncertainty. Despite repeated assurances and the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) conditional go-ahead nearly four years ago, the Environment Clearance (EC) for the proposed training wall at the mouth of River Sal remains elusive.

The absence of a breakwater facility at the Betul end of the river mouth has left the region's fishing community dependent on calm tides to set out to sea and return safely. When the tidal currents turn hostile, fishermen are forced to stay ashore for days, unable to earn a living.

At the heart of the issue lies the sta...