Team Herald
VASCO: Raising serious concerns over the grounded pontoon (boat) at Arrossim beach and demanding stringent action against the person who has taken the responsibility of beach wedding party at the Arrossim beach, the RDA Minister and Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha has said that she has already requested the environment minister, tourism minister, captain of ports and the Cansaulim Arrossim Cuelim (CAC) Panchayat to take immediate steps to remove the grounded pontoon from the beach as early as possible.
“I saw the magnitude of the destruction taking place at the Arrossim beach which is serious, as since the time pontoon ran aground, destruction at the beach has started showing sign. We cannot wait for longer time as this may lead to another River Princess type disaster and it would be also very difficult to tow away the boat, thus, I have made a common letter to environment minister, Tourism minister, Captain of Ports and Panchayat and have requested them to do the needful as early as possible,” she said.
Commenting on the present situation at the beach, Saldanha said, “The urgency is to protect the environment from getting damaged. The way the boat is positioned; it appears that the same is getting buried in the sand and likewise what we all saw in case of river princes we might face similar type of disaster on the beach. Also the beach is visited by tourists in large number and thus it is also an eyesore. Sadly, the articles from the pontoon have already washed off on the shore which should have taken care by the person who took up the responsibility to organize the beach party and created such menace on the beach. Also, if the boat is not removed on priority, then it might also change the topography of the area.”
To Alina’s understanding, the site where the pontoon is grounded, has developed a slope towards the vessel from the shore side. According to her, even the movement of the waves shows that it is moving all around the boat, which she fears, might cause erosion.
Demanding stringent action against the person responsible for the beach disaster due to grounded pontoon, Saldanha said, “I want to know who is the authority that gave permission to organise such beach wedding function, and why the same authority did not make any efforts to cross check as to whether the function is going on as per the permission or not?’
