TEAM HERALD
Tar balls had surfaced along the Benaulim coastline since Tuesday, but none of the authorities made their presence felt to get the beach cleared of the oily substance.
As a thick black layer of the oily substance occupied a significant portion of the beach since the last two days, tourists and local visitors alike sounded highly critical of the authorities in not addressing the problem on a priority basis.
A government official, who visited the beach with family and children, was bitter in his complaint of the delay in cleaning up the beach of the tar balls. “Goa is a world famous tourist destination and Benaulim beach is no different. It is shocking and surprising that the tourism department has so far not acted and got the beach cleared of the tar balls”, he rued.
A lifeguard on duty said the tar balls surfaced on the Benaulim beach on Tuesday evening, adding that the waves have not stopped depositing the oily substance on the beach on Wednesday as well. “We have to face the agitated tourists and local visitors over the state of affairs of the beach with the tar balls lying unattended since yesterday”, informed the lifeguard.
It is not uncommon to find tar balls washed ashore along the Goa coast during this part of the year and the phenomenon is attributed to the churning in the sea.
