PANJIM: As Goa grows into one of the preferred tourist locations across the world, local stakeholders on Wednesday emphasised on waste handling, conservation of natural system and restoration of the degraded ecosystems.
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) called for a State-wide waste management policy to streamline the process from collection till disposal. “A State-wide policy would help streamline on how to collect different types of waste, its segregation, how to take it to the allocated site for disposal and how to dispose of the waste,” TTAG member Jack Sukija said, participating in a discussion on Sustainable & Responsible Tourism.
The regional workshop held by Eco Tourism Society of Goa in partnership with Goa Tourism and TTAG focused on ‘Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India’ (STCI) for tourism stakeholders.
Sukija maintained the need for an implementing and monitoring authority to make this initiative a success. “Waste is a serious problem and it should be combated,” he said ading, “Sixty percent of the waste is biodegradable, 20 percent recyclable, 10 percent is discardable and another 10 percent toxic.”
The concluding day of the workshop also saw a dialogue on protection of the coastline with restoration of a threatened ecosystem. “There is need to conserve natural systems and restore degraded eco system like rebuilding of sand dunes, along with aggressively promoting coastal afforestation,” former NIO scientist Dr Antonio Mascarenhas said.
He also recalled the grounding of the M V River Princess at Sinquerim beach, which resulted in the coast’s retreat by 85 metres in 10-12 years. “The man made obstruction starved the beach due to which there was soil erosion and retreat of the coastline by 85 mtrs for over a decade,” he said, stressing on acknowledging and respecting coastal geological processes for any activity along the coast.
