Goa began the new year on a tragic note with isolated accidents claiming four lives across the State, despite all the calls for caution and tightening of police presence. We recall police advising against morning walks because of drunken and rash driving cases after New Year’s Eve parties.
A 21-year-old Ribandar boy died after his bike fell in a pit dug for smart city works near People’s High School, Panaji raising queries over the lack of signages in the city. At Valpoi, one police personnel died in an accident after his two-wheeler was hit by a car. In Taleigao, another man died in a head-on collision of vehicles. In Bhoma, a youth went out to buy alcohol for his birthday party and lost control of his bike crashing it against an electricity pole.
The four accidents may not have a common thread other than all four happened while the State was at its party peak. These accidents, however, raise concern because they add to an uncontrollable trend, giving continuity to the last year which had horrible accident figures.
Interestingly, finger-pointing and faulting individuals have been the norm of most accidents. An inquiry has been called into the Panaji accident, but it is appalling that authorities couldn’t see the several death traps in the city -- from dug-up pipelines to pits.
While accidents formed one side of the tragic New Year story, the filth and garbage-filled beaches across Goa were the other. Popular beaches along North and South Goa were strewn with beer and alcohol bottles, and plastics as some tourists were waking up to the sunrise from the sands.
There was a certain level of expectation this time around because additional police force was deployed along the coastline, not forgetting the words of caution given by authorities of avoiding morning walks and keeping away from drunken and reckless drivers.
The irony is that it would only be a stroke of luck if Goa witnesses an accident-free festive spell against the kind of tourism that the State is driving. The festive week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve was testimony to the fact that the frenzy is only getting worse. Loud music shaking the peace out of every soul till the morning hours of the next day, unrestricted flow of alcohol and tourists breaking every rule in the book, continued to be the glaring highlights of the season.
It would be completely irrational to hope for a peaceful, accident-free season with the kind of backdrop that the State has. Pictures of drunken tourists sinking into the sands on beaches, and the litter they leave behind are not new. These are old stories unfolding before us year after year.
Hope was the only new element this time because the discourse was about better and quality tourism. Unfortunately, the reverse happened and we saw fewer foreign tourists and a deluge of desi visitors going berserk.
It’s time Goans reconcile to the reality that the State is facing today. We cannot expect a change unless there is a paradigm shift in policy and mindsets. Mere talk of refined tourism will not help if the broader policies and outlook towards the sector don’t change.
