TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Tourism Department’s ambitious Colva coastal circuit development plan has stirred a hornet’s next in the coastal village, with the plan coming under the scanner of local villagers.
Agitated locals have upped the ante against the project, saying the government has neither explained the facilities proposed in the village nor the plan takes care of pressing issues plaguing the village, including garbage disposal. If the mood at the recent gram sabha is an indication, villagers want the tourism department to either discuss the plan with the local populace or scrap the plan.
Says activist Judith Almeida: “The circuit development plan is not acceptable as it is. It is a flawed plan. They have wrongly shown the High Tide Line by misrepresenting the facts. We were surprised to know that the plan has shown booking counters, restaurants etc”.
Almeida feared that the volleyball court shown in the plan might result in chopping of the coconut trees, seeking to know whether the plan will benefit the local stakeholders in any way.
Locals have raised apprehensions over the circuit plan, terming the plan as vague since it does not even carry survey numbers. “In the absence of survey numbers, it cannot be ascertained where exactly the development is proposed in the village”, questioned a local.
What has agitated the villagers the most is the tourism department’s criminal negligence over the years to spruce up bare minimum facilities at Colva.
“None of the high mast lamps are in working condition. The tourism department is trying to push the circuit plan, but has not taken cognizance of the lack of illumination on the beach since the last several months. The tourism department has been turning a blind eye to the dire need for mobile toilets and changing rooms close to the beach”, remarked local activist Alexander D’Souza.
Colva Sarpanch Snowkon Gonsalves said the tourism circuit plan in its present form is totally unacceptable to the villagers. “They want the plan be kept open for public scrutiny before going ahead with its implementation. The Panchayat would convey sentiments of the local villagers to the Tourism department and come out with a concrete plan before the people”.
He added: “The Circuit plan should not turn up a big mess. Government is not doing anything to make available bare minimum facilities at the beach. The proposed commercial centre comprising of 15 stalls have provision for a coffee shop, information centre, book store etc. But, we want to know from the Tourism department whether these stalls would be allotted to the local villagers.”
