MARGAO: Tourists at the Colva beach were seen enjoying in the sea water, unmindful of the dark brown water constantly moving from the Colva creek at the entrance to the beach. The tourists enjoyed the bath in the sea, oblivious to the creek waters emptying in the sea. It could not be confirmed whether unscrupulous elements have discharged waste into the creek. In the past, a powerful and influential hotelier was accused by local NGOs of releasing waste water into the creek, with the authorities only turning a blind eye to the menace. The Colva creek had been in focus over the last two years after local NGO Colva Civic and Consumer Forum knocked the doors of the High Court to stop hotels, restaurants and business establishments from discharging sewage.
…Tourists have fun at Colva
The rough sea and the roaring waves failed to deter domestic tourists from venturing out in the choppy waters at Colva beach on Saturday.
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Under the watchful eyes of the life guards, tourists, including females and children, were seen having a gala time on the beach.
Local sources said that the onset of monsoons have not stopped the flow of tourists to Colva, though they come only in trickles now. While the beach shacks have disappeared and the water sports activity has come to a grinding halt, the visitors were spotted taking to the water despite the huge waves crashing on the shore.
…But some went overboard
With complaints pouring in against visitors consuming liquor and beverages right on the beach, the activity has now come under the scanner of the men-in-uniform. A group of tourists carrying beverage cans were stopped by a police constable around the Colva children’s park from heading towards the beach. Taken aback by the action, the tourists stopped near the creek to consume the beverage, before the constable resurfaced and shooed away the tourists. Whether the police action came just because of the presence of the media remains unknown.
