SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Even as tourism in Goa is at an all-time low due to various factors and tourism infrastructure in pathetic condition, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, has decided to look elsewhere for other businesses to generate revenue.
The Corporation has ventured into the petroleum business in various parts of Goa in GTDC lands, which were lying unused.
Petrol pumps, in association with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, are supposed to come up in Anjuna, Baga, Pernem, Farmagudi and two other places, officials said. The first of six has come up at Survey No 186/15-A & 16-A, in Virnoda village in Pernem taluka.
This is the place where GTDC had the Goa Darbar Guest House. While a part of the land has been used for petrol pump the rest has been used for scrap yard and garbage dump.
Documents availed under RTI by Adv Jeetendra Gaonkar reveals the petrol pump is indeed owned by GTDC. What is shocking is that the electricity connection given to this pump has no record of meter number in the sub-division office.
“The villagers have raised a red flag on the petrol pump as there are already four existing pumps in the Virnoda panchayat area,” Gaonkar said speaking to Herald. He said that the GTDC instead repair the Goa Darbar Guest House. “There are already pumps, Why have more? Who needs it? Instead GTDC should start some tourism infrastructure which would benefit the panchayat and tourism in the area,” he said. Gaonkar also questioned the link between tourism and petroleum business.
Goa Darbar is a property on the highway and could help tourists, why then is GTDC not developing it? He asked. A top tourism stakeholder, speaking to Herald on condition of anonymity, questioned the need for GTDC for getting into tourism business.
“You are already on verge of finalising tourism policy. When you need more land for tourism infrastructure, why hand over land for a petrol pump. There is no scarcity of petrol pumps in Goa but there is urgent need for tourism infrastructure,” he said.
Nilesh Cabral, who was the GTDC chairman when the decision wa taken said it was done so as the corporation land was lying unused. “We wanted the places to get some revenue for the corporation and hence the decision was taken,” he said.
Cabral said the HPCL will run the pumps themselves and revenue of lease would come to the Corporation.
Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar (Babu) said that he was aware about this but it was GTDC’s concern. “The decision was taken when Dilip Parulekar was Tourism Minister and decided by GTDC board you should ask them,” Azgaonkar said.
He said that the Pernem was not just one place where petrol pumps are coming up there are five other places. “The decision has been taken long back. I cannot do anything,” he said.
