AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
GALGIBAGA: The Wildlife and Eco Tourism division in South Goa has come under scrutiny after a payment estimate of nearly Rs 31 lakh was approved for daily wage workers reportedly employed during the turtle nesting season despite official records indicating that beach cleaning services had already been outsourced to a private agency.
Documents accessed by O Heraldo reveal that an estimate was submitted on January 1, 2025, seeking payment for daily wage labourers deployed between December 12, 2024, and February 28, 2025.
The estimate was submitted by Range Forest Officer Rajesh Naik to the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife & Eco Tourism (South).
The work, according to the estimate, spanned 16 locations under the division and the total allocated money for wages was Rs 30,99,933.
However, a Right to Information (RTI) reply dated April 28, 2025, casts doubt on these claims. In response to a query about who is responsible for maintaining cleanliness on beaches frequented by nesting turtles, Public Information Officer Ankit Kumar (IFS) stated that the work is handled by staff from Karnataka Commercial and Industrial Corporation (KCICI), a private firm contracted by the Goa government.
According to the reply received on April 28, “a total of eleven Marine Rescuers are employed by this Division paid Rs 545 per day.” The approved estimate – labelled No 158/2024-25 — details multiple deployments, including Rs 2,04,120 for the engagement of eight daily wage labourers to clean mangroves along a 3-km stretch of the Galgibaga river in Canacona from December 19, 2024, to February 28, 2025. This, despite the fact that mangroves are not turtle nesting habitats, according to departmental insiders.
Additional payments listed in the estimate include Rs 10.16 lakh for labour deployed across five locations – Galgibaga, Talpona, Cortalim, Madkai and Kundaim rivers – and Rs 9.18 lakh for 31 workers tasked with beach cleaning and day watch duties at beaches including Cavelossim, Mobor, Zalor, Arrosim, Majorda, Galgibaga, Talpona, Colva and Betalbatim. Another group of 26 labourers was reportedly engaged for stranded marine animal rescues at 16 beaches.
Forest Department staff stationed along the coastline expressed surprise at the developments. “This is news to us. We’ve never seen any department staff engaged in beach or mangrove cleaning,” said one official, who also questioned the rationale of deploying labour in mangrove areas unrelated to turtle activity.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz echoed the sentiment, stating, “I know beach cleaning has been outsourced to a private agency, and their workers are regularly on duty. I’m not aware of any involvement by Forest Department personnel in cleaning activities.”
When approached for clarification, Range Forest Officer Rajesh Naik responded tersely: “I have been told by my department that all answers related to your RTI have been furnished. What is the purpose of your investigation?”