MAPUSA: Saturday too was no different story as Drishti lifeguards continued to remain off the Calangute beach due to the delay in payments and failure to provide them with basic facilities.
Since the last three days, the Calangute beach has been without lifeguard services making it dangerous for residents, stakeholders and tourists to enter the waters.
It may be recalled that on Thursday, several lifeguards of Drishti working along the famous Calangute beach gathered near the lifeguard post alleging that they are facing a lot of hardship as their salaries are not being paid on time for the last three years. They complained of not being provided with basic facilities and demanded that the authorities solve their issues at the earliest or else they would be forced to resign en-masse.
A tourist at Calangute beach, Francis Fernandes informed Herald that there are no lifeguards and it is risky for the tourists and others to enter the waters.
“If any untoward incident takes place here, who is to be blamed? There is no lifeguard on duty. The grievances of the lifeguards should be addressed at the earliest. People are venturing deep into the waters and doing what they want. It is very risky as thousands of lives are at stake. People are not listening, they are doing what they want as most of them are on holidays,” Fernandes said.
A lifeguard at Calangute complained that they are being deprived of basic facilities despite the tender being given to this company.
“Since Thursday we are on a strike. Heard that today there was a drowning incident at Baga. There will be more such cases if we do not resume duty because there is no one to supervise the tourists. We demand that the government employ us directly under the Tourism Department and give us some facilities. We do our duty in the hot sun but no water is provided to us. We have to carry water from home. At the same time the number of tourists has also increased,” he said.
Alleging that the company is harassing them, another lifeguard said, “The government should take some action and remove this company. They have told us we can wait if we want or are free to leave and go. Due to this we feel that we will be forced to resign if things are not sorted out at the earliest. Every time we have to pay penalty for late payment of EMI loan and have financial difficulties in running our homes,” he said.
