Sawaikar pursues seafarers’ concern over CDC with Gadkari

NT NETWORK

MARGAO

South Goa Member of Parliament Narendra Sawaikar on Wednesday submitted a letter to the Minister of Shipping and Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari reiterating Goan seafarers’ demands to revisit the decision to make SSC qualification mandatory for attaining Indian CDC (continuous discharge certificate).

The ministry, last year, had issued a notice making it mandatory for seamen to produce their secondary school certificate (SSC) to avail of Indian CDC but Goan seafarers have expressed concern as many were working on CDC from other foreign countries and the new rule would cause them hardships with many saying they were not allowed to return to work as they did not have the Indian CDC.

In his letter, Sawaikar said, “The aforesaid condition has caused great hardships to the seafarers’ community. It is understood that some seafarers were denied to travel by the immigration department and as such they had to return from the airport. An estimated 1,000 Goan seamen could be rendered jobless due to the rule.”