PANJIM: With just five days left for submitting suggestions on the draft tourism policy 2018 (Module IV), some stakeholders have demanded that the government extend the deadline by six months.
The stakeholders like Centre for Responsible Tourism, Diocesan Council for Social Justice and Peace (DCSJP) and environmentalists have also demanded that the draft plan be released in Konkani language as it would reach out to a wider population in the State.
“The draft should be bilingual. It is presently in English and we want that the plan be released in the local language Konkani, which can be understood by all,” said one of the stakeholders during a meeting hosted by CRT under the tutelage of Caritas and DCSJP in the capital on Wednesday.
The attendees, unanimously also sought an extension of six months to thoroughly examine the comprehensive Module IV for submitting their views, suggestions and objections to the Tourism Department.
“The time period till November 12 allotted by the department for submitting our opinions to the draft plan is not enough. We want at least six months extension,” the meeting resolved with another demand that the draft be circulated to all the panchayats, municipalities and educational institutions to facilitate them to submit their views.
Observing that tourism industry is expanding at the cost of ecology, scientist Antonio Mascarenhas slammed the makers of the draft for sidelining the ecology and sand dunes on the beaches. Mascarenhas worked for the National Institute of Oceanography.
“The beach is the property of the ocean and not our own. We have to behave how the beach wants us to behave and not how we want to,” he said citing instances of how the nature has reciprocated to human activities close to the shore.
Mascarenhas has often spoken about allowing replenishment of the beaches and dune system. “September to November is the time for replenishment of the beaches and sand dunes system. In no way it should be invaded or spoilt, but this is not being followed. The shacks come up on wounded beach every year,” he had said during a recent interview with Herald.
Mascarenhas has also advised to allow shacks on the dry beach – away from dunes, keeping large space between the shacks and the dunes as well as shoreline; not to infringe the dunes and keeping vegetation intact. “The geological process should go on unhindered,” he said blaming excessive footfalls, excessive use of the beaches and allotment of shacks at the wrong place among others for the damage.
Several beach shacks last year faced the wrath of the nature when Goa experienced the effects of Cyclone Ockhi. Some shacks were also damaged in the first month of the ongoing season owing to sudden rise in water level.
Dr Nandkumar Kamat has called for proper infrastructure in the State at the time when tourism is growing. He also sought to know from the State government where several crores of rupees, earned from visiting tourists, are going.
