MARGAO: Locals, tourists, tourism stakeholders and the traditional fishermen were in a state of shock to see vast portions of Utorda beach submerged under seawater on Wednesday.
The situation was so bad that visitors to the beach turned back out of fear, while traditional fishermen were trying to keep their canoes out of harm’s way.
“You take a few steps on to the beach and then you have to stop, as what used to be sandy shores are now covered under water. But even here, between this point and where the sea starts, there is a small portion of
the beach that could be seen. We fear what will happen once it starts raining,” said a concerned local resident.
The fisher community has been knocking on the doors of government authorities to take measures to prevent the further erosion of the beach. They fear that if the necessary steps are not taken today, there will come a future where the size of Utorda beach and other beaches across Goa’s coastline will be reduced to a bare minimum, and the mass erosion will also lead to uprooting of trees located nearby.
