CALANGUTE: Although Calangute is a flourishing tourism destination that generates a lot of revenue for the State exchequer, it continues to face several problems, such as littering, garbage dumping, unending road-digging works, and drugs peddling.
International tourists, especially those from the United Kingdom, are unhappy with the current situation. The UK tourists were the ones who patronised the shacks of locals, who eked a living for themselves and their families. However, the authorities, be it the local body or the State government, has failed to improve the standard of infrastructure or create additional infrastructure to meet the growing needs of the tourists.
The growth of tourism has led to drug peddling, prostitution, accumulation of garbage and littering on beaches, including the world-famous beaches of Calangute, Baga and Candolim.
Calangute was given a facelift and manned by the police for smoking and drinking. However, the littering and spitting continue unabated, making the area look very untidy. The English tourists have still welcomed the initiative and hoped that more steps will be taken to win back the high-spending tourists for the growth of Goa’s economy.
“I have been visiting Calangute twice every year for over 20 years. It is sad that there is no infrastructure created for us. We have been patronizing the shacks and restaurants all along the coastal belt, which directly or indirectly helps the Goan as well as Indian economy. But what has Goa, or Calangute in particular, given us? Nothing. On the contrary, the village roads are littered with garbage, besides the red colour of chewed tobacco. We come here for the love of Goa and Goans. Calangute needs to be clean and tidy to attract high-spending tourists,” said Glen, a tourist.
He added, “Those littering and spitting all along the roads need to be penalised. The Goan economy will boom only when there are quality tourists visiting the coastal villages.”
Another tourist, Ian, said, “At every 50 meter, there is a peddler selling drugs or a pimp trying to sell girls to you. We do not come here to enjoy drugs or girls, but the beauty of nature and Goan hospitality. Please, please for God’s sake do not destroy the beauty of nature for mere gains.”
“What is happening on the roads of Calangute and Baga? It has been more than two years now that the roads are being dug, forcing tourists to skip Calangute. The work cannot be undertaken in a tourist village for too long. It should have been done within days and months, not years together,” said a British tourist.
When contacted, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo claimed that no development had taken place in the village for the several years due to differences between the village leaders, including the MLA. He continued, “I have now taken up the job of putting things in perspective, and hopefully, everything will fall in place soon. Regarding garbage dumping along the roads of Calangute, the panchayat is collecting garbage daily, but there is still garbage all over the place. The panchayat needs to collect garbage not once, but twice a day from the interior roads to maintain cleanliness of the village and win over the foreign tourists who have been shying away from Calangute.”
He added, “The spitting issue will be addressed soon. I am writing to the government to implement a prohibitory order on tobacco chewing, etc. Hopefully the results will show.”
