Team Herald
PANJIM: The swelling army of hawkers, harassing tourists in the northern coastal belt has irked Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo who has slammed the authorities for turning a blind eye to the nuisance. Lobo indirectly also hit out at Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar for failing to live up to repeated assurance to curb the menace on the beaches, and slammed the police department for ‘showing helplessness’.
“All are giving tall promises to tackle hawkers and other nuisances on the beaches but nothing is being done. Hundreds of children between 8-15 years, of whom 90 percent are girls, are left unattended on the beaches. They follow every visitor asking for massage, tours and what not? Who will be responsible if they are victims of any crime? It will ultimately tarnish Goa’s image globally,” Lobo said, after meeting Tourism Director Menino D’Souza and the local police demanding a crackdown.
He claimed that minor migrants from different states are “brought” to Goa to carry out illicit business and feared that some of them could be involved in prostitution. “When these children ask ‘to give massage’ to the visitors on the beaches indicates sex trade. We should ban such people in Goa because they are spoiling Goa’s name as a tourist destination,” he said.
Insisting that these children be rescued and sent to Apna Ghar, Lobo also demanded the arrest of their parents. “The police are showing helplessness. They should act instead of turning a blind eye to such illegalities,” he said. He said he has decided to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the State government, citing the sorry state of affairs in Goa and how ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ Abhiyan is not seriously implemented in the State.
