Taxi operators stir continues for second day

Excursions suspended 

TEAM HERALD

PANJIM/CALANGUTE: Excursions and tours were suspended today with tour operators refusing to endanger the lives of  tourists as taxi operators continued their stir for the second day on Tuesday.

While minor incidents of stone throwing were reported today, the tourist taxi association in north denied their involvement in any such attacks and pointed out that taxi operators stayed away today in solidarity against the assault of their leaders in north Goa.

North Goa Tourist Taxi Association general secretary Vinayak Nanoskar who was injured in yesterday’s police lathi-charge at Porvorim said, “We wanted to call off the stir today but our members were unanimous that we stay off the roads in protest against police action which was unwarranted yesterday.”

Nanoskar said, “We are meeting the chief minister tomorrow and are hoping that the pending issues are resolved.” He also said that the association urged taxi operators at Dabolim to resume services so as not to inconvenience tourists arriving and departing Goa. According to reports from Dabolim, only yellow and black taxis were seen transporting tourists to and from the airport.

However, on Tuesday tour operators preferred to keep their foreign and domestic visitors indoors and cancelled all tours and excursions.

“There is a feeling of insecurity among tourists and tour operators,” said a tour operator form north Goa who insisted on anonymity, fearing an attack if quoted in the media.

He said, “We are going to face the flak in many ways for what has happened during the last two days,” adding that international markets are likely to react sharply and its effect would be felt in the month of March and in the next season.

Earnest Dias of SITA said, “There is growing concern from our clients across the globe.” Dias said that his company too called off all tours and guided excursions as a precautionary measure.

He disclosed that communiqués have been pouring in from the UK, Russia, Estonia, Finland and several other countries voicing concern over reported incidents of violence in the state in lieu of the taxi operators stir.

“Some have even hinted at possible cancellations of charters in the days to come if the issue is not resolved soon,” he said.

The tourism industry appears to be walking  on thin ice as prior to the stir the season was looking bright and all geared for the upcoming four day carnival festivities.

“Tourists may not want to come to Goa after what has happened,” said another leading hotelier from north Goa who has reported house full for Carnival.

Industry cries foul : Tour operators today cried foul over the two day stir by taxi operators each calculating their losses between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh due to cancellation of tours, excursions and additional burden of transportation charges from hotels for trips to the airport and back.

Leading tour operators today said that they had to pay double the charges to hotels for transporting their guests via hotel vehicles as their regular service providers were unable to provide taxis due to the stir. Taxis were also off the roads and those generally stationed outside hotels were also not available on account of the stir.

“Transporting guests to the airport and from the airport was the biggest problem faced during the last two days,” said a tour operator from Panjim.

“We had to pay hotels even upto Rs 4000 for a vehicle to transport our guests to the airport,” he said adding that huge losses were also incurred due to cancellation of daily tours and excursions conducted for both domestic and foreign tourists.

CALANGUTE CORRESPONDENT ADDS: Though normalcy prevailed in the coastal villages of Calangute on Tuesday, following a violent turn to the peaceful protest of tourist taxi owners in front of St Alex Church, Calangute, the tourists are greatly inconvenienced, as the taxis were off the roads.

Domestic and international tourists were seen walking with their luggage in search of a taxi or rickshaw to reach their respective destinations. The auto rickshaws, however, made the most of the business in the absence of tourist taxis in Calangute. A large number of police personnel were stationed at strategic points like St Alex Church, Calangute.

When contacted, Calangute legislator Michael Lobo said the tourism and transport departments are responsible for escalation of the issue which was being addressed by the chief minister following illegal trade by Russians.

“The sudden arrival of Olacabs in the state complicated the vexed issue and created a further divide between the government, as the taxi owners felt neglected and let down by the government,” said Lobo.

“The issue could have been settled amicably, but there was no such initiative from the tourism and transport departments though the taxi owners’ demands were very much genuine. The government should address the issues of taxi owners and could even provide them designated stands in the GTDC properties in various parts of Goa. The tourism and Transport departments can resolve the issue provided there is a will from the respective departments,” added Lobo.

Former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes said: “I am not surprised with the anti-local attitude of the BJP government, but was taken aback with the brutal lathi-charge by the Goa Police against Calangute taxi owners in the presence of Calangute MLA Michael Lobo.”

“There was no such action by the BJP government when armed Nigerians blocked the NH17. I am also peeved at the Calangute MLA for not threatening to go on hunger strike to force the government to accept the demands of taxi owners. I have conveyed the support of  the Candolim Panchayat to the NGTTOA members at Calangute today,” Fernandes told Herald.