Team Herald
MARGAO: Benaulim NCP MLA Churchill Alemao on Saturday expressed frustration and anger over the issue pertaining to Swadesh Darshan Coastal Circuit II projects at Colva and urged Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy not to take local representative for granted and to take into consideration the ground reality while initiating the works.
However, the Union Minister avoided reacting to the issues raised by the MLA and left the venue immediately.
Churchill also stressed on a golf course and other such types of projects in order to attract world class tourists in Colva.
Union Minister Reddy in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar and Union Minister of State for Tourism, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik inaugurated the toilet blocks and tourist facilitation centre at Colva Beach.
Local MLA and Dayanand Sopte were also present.
Scheduled at 2.30 pm, excluding local MLA, and Deputy Chief Minister, all other guests arrived at around 4 pm. And hence, all hasty movements were witnessed at the venue.
Comparer was trying to sum up the function without giving any chance to guests to address the gathering. However, Churchill insisted to speak and explain the facts pertaining to the development works and other issues related to Colva Beach.
He expressed anger for not mentioning the names of sarpanchas and panchas on the plaque.
“Discrimination should not take place at the time of development works,” he stated.
Churchill raised objections with regard to toilets blocks built in the children park and that too not taking into the ground reality.
“First of all the consulting agency should have taken the local representative into confidence before initiating the works in the children park. The safety of the children should have been taken into consideration. Today, few children would have sustained injuries, if the coconut trees close to toilets were not cut down after my intervention,” he stated.
He further countered Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar for failure towards initiating action against the hawkers on the Colva Beach.
“Several hawkers and lamanis are witnessed on the beach creating troubles and harassing the tourists, and that too with the support of police,” he alleged.
According to the local MLA, there is a need for a golf course and other facilities in order to attract world class tourists in Colva and other beaches.
The Deputy CM in his address said, “The State government wants world class and richest tourists to visit Goa, and hence focusing on world class facilities on the beaches.”
“The government has initiated several development works under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in Goa. We also want to focus on eco-tourism, besides heritage tourism in the State, and hence the government is working towards the same,” he stated.
The Deputy CM again said that the hawkers and baggers are banned on the beaches, and are trying hard to keep the beaches of Goa clean.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy avoided to speak, and not even commented when asked about the projects inaugurated by him.
