TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PONDA: Emphasising the need to develop Ponda to attract tourists to the cultural capital of the State, Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) Chairperson Radhika Naik has announced plans to create tourism infrastructure in the town.
“Ponda taluka is widely regarded as the cultural capital of Goa due to its unique identity, cultural activities and festivities on account of the large number of temples. Tourists visit the taluka but rarely spend time here, as Ponda has no capacity to attract and entertain the tourists and lacks tourism-related activities,” Naik told Herald.
“There should be more efforts so that tourists stay here for more days. Efforts are required to generate activities like water park facilities and entertainment for tourists, which will also generate employment for people in Ponda, thereby leading to social and economic development of taluka,” she said.
“PMC has a lot of hope in the form of Union Minister for Tourism MP Shripad Naik and PMC will submit its plans regarding tourism development in Ponda to Naik,” added Naik.
“PMC feels there is a need to develop Ponda with a lot of tourist infrastructure facilities to attract the tourists. PMC has identified land to develop tourist facilities project at Curti-Ponda,” informed Naik.
Ponda Councillor and PMC garbage management chief Venkatesh Naik said the project at Curti will also house museum to provide information regarding tourist spots in the State.
Regarding municipal works in the municipality, the PMC chairperson said there are very few play grounds for children in Ponda.
“PMC will construct a mini-football stadium behind the signature project where a jogger’s park will also be developed for senior citizens. The PMC building will be reconstructed keeping its front view intact and till the new office gets complete, the PMC office will be shifted to old primary health centre premises at Tisk-Ponda,” she informed.
