Team Herald
BICHOLIM: The COVID-19 pandemic has given a serious blow to Mayem Lake, which was trying to make its presence felt on the tourism map. The sarpanch stated that the situation has also lowered the income of the Mayem-Vaiginim Panchayat.
It may be recalled that the Mayem Lake was inaugurated after renovation work so that there could be some recreational activities for the locals and tourists.
The lake was “under construction/renovation” for over two years and the work was almost complete. This lake was once famous throughout the State and not only the domestic tourists but also foreigners were also attracted to this lake.
But the lackadaisical attitude of the government led to its downfall. After the government failed to maintain the lake it was handed over to a private party for maintenance. This project worked for some months but later failed miserably. Thereafter, the government took over the lake and a master plan was prepared to develop the entire lake along with its surroundings.
The work of renovating the lake was taken up some three years back and since then the lake was closed for the public. Later, the bungee jumping was also inaugurated along with the lake. But to its bad luck just within a year the project was again closed because of COVID-19 pandemic.
“Mayem is a picturesque place and is blessed with a lake. The domestic as well as foreign tourists come to this place to enjoy its beauty and also for experience the thrill of the bungee jumping. This has helped the local restaurants and the shop oweners,” Sarpanch Tulshidas Chodankar informed.
“All this had created revenue even for the panchayat. Just after one year of its inauguration the nation was hit by coronavirus pandemic. It has now affected the lake and the locals and the panchayat as well,” Chodankar said hoping that the lake would again flourish with the tourists after the pandemic ends.
