Goa: A Place like No Other?

Joao Barros Pereira

GCZMA, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority has outdone itself this time - and with all the illegalities going on along Goa's coastal state - no pedestrian achievement, indeed. The government wants policemen on motorcycles to patrol the beaches to ensure safety to visitors. They are to bring security to the locals and tourists who visit the beaches of south Goa.

With the recent rape case on Betalbatim beach making headlines in Goa and all over India, a typical knee jerk reaction is the way to go? The icing on the cake is the consideration shown to the turtle nesting sites at Galgibaga and sand dune vegetation which cannot be disturbed, and so no motorcycles.

But what about the stretch of beach from Velsao to Majorda? Is the government waiting for a rape to happen before it goes into action and has a tourism beach policy? Is it always going to be piecemeal? Is it now all about Betalbatim beach only? The villages want ID cards for migrants who live in their village. But what about other coastal villages? Are the people safe?

The beach area from Velsao to Majorda and beyond does not have any electricity on the beach and is a danger to people at night. Is the government telling tourists and  people of south Goa not to visit the beaches at night, even on a full moon night? If they visit the beaches at night, is it at their own risk? Go, and get raped? Only then the government will come up with a policy?

With government more absent than present - and with a lack of  governance - are we to believe everything is hunky-dory? Some mindless politicians who are claiming how wonderful everything is, no doubt, have buried their heads deep in the sand and are in need of urgent medical help.

The motorcycles on the beaches are going to create a big noise. They are also going to destroy the beaches further and imprint tyre marks again and again. Are the beaches of south Goa going to become famous for having tyre marks on them? Is this an added attraction? The 5-star hotels and their guests relaxing on the reclining beach chairs are not going to smile benignly on this idea of having policemen whizzing in front of them. And, what about the customers who visit the shacks? Why not add cameras everywhere on the beaches to complete the mood?

And then of course there are the tourists who drink on the beaches and wander into the sea and, sometimes die. How are we going to solve this problem? What about the shacks which have tables on the beaches and serve alcohol? Do only tourists who drink on the beaches jump into the sea, drown and die?

Is this the new way for tourism in Goa or what? Insensitivity and invasion of the privacy of our esteemed tourists who visit this state and put food on our tables, and much more, for thousands of Goans? 

Already, the occasional police jeeps on the beaches have destroyed some of the serenity of the beaches, not to mention the tyre marks the jeeps leave behind on the sand. Is there going to be much more in future? If so, why not use the beaches as a road show for motorcycles and 4-wheel drive vehicles? Our government is broke, so isn't this a good idea?

Goa's brand of tourism in south Goa cannot flourish unless there is serenity and relaxation and respect for the privacy of tourists who visit our beaches. Goa is famous for a particular brand of tourism. Are we going to replace it with ouvert policing which will drive away up-market tourists and bring in small spenders whose budget for a ras omelet dinner is no bigger than 100 rupees?

The Government has to find ways to provide security to the people on the beaches without destroying the coastal beach economy and beach culture, and stop invading the privacy and peace of mind of the tourists who come to Goa for a pleasant holiday.

We cannot model our beaches in south Goa on Mumbai's beach culture.

That will destroy south Goa's brand of tourism and the goose who lays

our golden eggs unlike Mumbai's goose who is already cooked!