Coastal panchayats lax on infrastructure!

PANJIM, JULY 1
Though coastal village panchayats have grown richer in the last few years with increase in the tourists flow and soaring land prices, their contribution towards infrastructure development has been minimal.
Garbage problem which haunts the coastal belt is yet to be tackled head-on by these panchayats despite their coffers being filled to the brim.
Take for instance, Colva panchayat which has been dragged to the High Court by some active citizens of the village for non-performance of civic duties such as garbage collection and disposal.
The annual income of this panchayat is pegged at about Rs 36 lakh but its contribution towards infrastructure has been just Rs 91,225.
While the panchayat has maintained that they have engaged labourers to clear garbage, citizens who have petitioned the High Court lamented that the panchayat has done absolutely nothing in setting up any facility to treat garbage.
As a result, the High Court has barred this panchayat from issuing licenses to multi-storied buildings without its consent until it puts in place adequate infrastructure to take care of garbage that is generated.
The number of constructions in the coastal belt has multiplied in recent times with panchayats liberally issuing construction licenses without the slightest thought to planning. Beach areas are affected the most with buildings lined up on either side of the road.
An official of the Tourism Department, who wished anonymity, said coastal panchayats should contribute more to improve the infrastructure.
“There are no footpaths and there is no place for anything more. European tourists are very particular of this and often question the absence of footpaths”, he pointed out saying high-end tourism would be affected if infrastructure was not put in place at the earliest.
Calangute, the richest panchayat that garners around Rs 3.5 crore annually, seems to be doing little better. Panchayat officials said Rs 1 crore was spent on constructing roads and footpaths.
Candolim panchayat which earns about Rs 82 lakh annually, said plastic as well garbage is being regularly lifted.
To keep beaches clean Tourism Department has engaged contractors and spends around Rs 9.15 lakh a month in both the districts.
But all efforts will be futile until panchayats engage themselves in infrastructure development. Gaurish Dhond, newly inducted President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), said contribution of tourism industry in the terms of revenue is Rs 800 crore but the Government’s spending on infrastructure has been only Rs 40 crore.
Acknowledging that this is a wake-up call, he said “tourism will see better days ahead”, if efforts are made to tone up the infrastructure. The TTAG has submitted a memorandum to the Government highlighting the need for better infrastructure, he said.