l Claim that deployment of manpower at the beach could mean diverting its personnel from important & strategic points along the coast
THOMAS FERNANDES / CALANGUTE
bureau@herald-goa.com
Visit Calangute Beach and you will find almost everyone who is anyone willing to earn a fast buck along the famed coast.
Problem is, not all tourists are happy to be pestered into buying products from a large group of hawkers who have virtually taken over the Calangute beach belt. In the absence of policemen to monitor their activities, these hawkers have had lucrative sales, much to the annoyance of those tourists and locals who have been pushed into buying their products.
The Calangute Police, however, admit that they are short-staffed and claim that deployment of manpower at the beach point could mean diverting its personnel from important and strategic points along the coast.
Hawkers are seen moving freely and selling their products to tourists and others in the parking lots at the Calangute beach front, Calangute football ground, Baga and at the Calangute market.
A growing number of tourists have complained that they are being harassed into buying the products from hawkers.
“The last time when I came down to Goa for holidays and visited Calangute Beach, I did not see any hawker around. But this time, I was surprised by the number of hawkers literally forcing people or tourists to buy their products,” remarked Jess D’Souza.
“If one hawker comes to you, there are many others to follow him or her. So, one is forced to purchase at least something from someone to get rid of these pestering hawkers. What is disheartening is the presence of small girls selling eatables and this could lead to a major problem to government authorities if some untoward incidents take place. I think these hawkers should be banned from selling their products on the beach front or at parking places” D’Souza adds.
Adds another tourist, Francis Dias: “I do not mind if the hawkers sell eatables like groundnuts, but not bhel-puri or even mild drinks like beers. There are designated spots to sell such eatables or juices and the presence of hawkers anywhere could provide an opportunity to robbers and other anti-social elements.”
Admitting that the presence of hawkers has been causing all kinds of complications, the Calangute police insist that they are helpless to tackle the problem all over Calangute coast.
“The Calangute Police is short-staffed and diverting policemen to stop hawkers from pestering tourists and locals could mean diverting police personnel from important and strategic points along the coast. IRB police personnel have been manning the beach areas, but the village roads and other public spaces are freely available for hawkers to indulge in their trade,” said a police source.
When contacted, Calangute Police Inspector Rajesh Kumar said the police have been taking action in the matter. “We have been rounding up hawkers on a daily basis, but there is no end to their trade. The drive against hawkers continues despite the shortage of police personnel,” said PI Kumar.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo feels more police should be deployed to tackle the growing number of hawkers.
“I admit the presence of a large number of hawkers in Calangute and surrounding areas. The Calangute Police is short staffed, but more police, especially the Tourist Police, should be deployed to monitor and curb the activities of hawkers,” he said.
“The Calangute Police Station should be well equipped with machinery and manpower to curb the menace of hawkers. I have asked for more police personnel and their presence in large numbers in the coastal villages could significantly bring down the problem of hawkers,” Lobo added.
