Mapusa: The Mandrem and Vagator beaches have been witnessing pollution with the invasion of the shore with tar balls from last one week. This is causing tremendous nuisance to the tourists as well as locals including fishermen visiting these popular beaches.
Along with the tar balls, people also witnessed oil on the beaches. They said that for the last several years this issue is haunting the beaches of North Goa.
“At this time of the season, not only tourists but also the local Goans visit the beaches and spend their day in the water. However due to these tar balls and oil, people cannot enter into the water. The state Government must take some measures to solve this issue because every year this issue is surfaces and nearly all the beaches get polluted. The Tourism Minister should look into the matter because if this continues then it will destroy the beaches of Goa completely and the tourism industry. The government, especially the tourism department and the minister should get to the root cause of this issue and take necessary measures to curb this menace,” Balbhim Malwankar, a local fisherman of Vagator, said.
“The Tourism Department spends lakhs of rupees on promoting ‘365 Days Goa Tourism’, but in reality, the shores have turned black with the tar balls and oil. Instead of wasting money on advertisements, the government should act on the ground level,” a tourist from Delhi said.
Local businessmen said that if the pollution of beaches continues then tourists might shift their destination to neighbouring districts of Maharashtra and elsewhere.
