Kishore Amati
In a new initiative aimed at tackling the
issue of garbage and to generate revenue for the panchayat, the Village
Panchayat, Netravali has recently begun charging entry fees from the tourists.
The panchayat charges Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 400 for two-wheelers, four-wheelers
and six-wheelers, respectively, and provides the vehicles stickers that help
the locals identify and assist them if need be. The panchayat also gives the
vehicles recyclable garbage bags to make tourists refrain from littering. The
tourist can return garbage-filled bags while exiting and redeem 50% of the
amount paid. Locals are exempt from this but the VP Netravali, however, defines
locals as people, or friends and relatives of people, residing in Netravali.
Everyone else is a tourist.
Interestingly enough, the forest department
too has been charging a similar amount as entry and parking fees from tourists
for the last 6-8 years. Deputy Sarpanch, VP Netravali, Abhijit Dessai says,
“The forest department, despite charging fees from the tourists, hasn’t
provided parking or safety facilities. There are no lifeguards; seven lives
have been lost in the last four years. The tourists continue to park on the
main panchayat road in a haphazard manner. We had to do something to tackle
these issues without spending money from the panchayat’s coffers.”
Hardly a few days into this model and it
appears to be working wonders for the panchayat. According to Dessai, last
Sunday saw about 150 vehicles enter the village of Netravali. The panchayat
generated a revenue of around Rs 17000 (!) solely from the entry fees from the
tourists, in a single day.
This initiative is evoking positive
reactions from people across Goa who acknowledge that the garbage issue needs
to be tackled on a priority basis. An avid trekker from Ponda, Harshal Kamat
says, “One the one hand, it seems a little unfair that the locals also have to
pay the fees. But on the other, it is a minimal amount that will go towards
maintaining cleanliness of our own land. In that regard, it appears to be a
bargain. Natural beauty can be enjoyed only if it is garbage-free.”
The model adopted by VP Netravali seems to
be a lucrative one for other villages to follow, especially those that have
been grappling with the garbage issue. Sarvesh Naik, a resident of Quepem who
is usually sensitive to civic issues, says, “It is a welcome initiative. At a
time where umpteen examples of tourism destroying our natural habitat seem to
be vividly visible, the folks in Netravali have set up a great example. The
execution is key, though. The process may need a bit of monitoring too. Unlike
the pay parking system, where the contractors merely collect the fees but do
nothing to make the lives of the public convenient, I hope the panchayat of
Netravali utilises the money wisely and for the development of the village.”
