the goan I network
MARGAO
Tourism Minister Manohar Babu Ajgaonkar and the tourism stakeholders are bracing up for a new tourism season, beginning next month.
But, old issues are craving for attention from the authorities, including the Tourism Ministry and the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) at the world famous Colva beach “ recently declared as an iconic beach by the Centre. On the eve of the new tourism season, the illegal migrant hawkers have come to haunt the authorities, with questions being asked how the government intends to keep the hawkers at bay. The stray dog menace is not attended to by any authority till date, as a result of which the strays have a field day right on the beach.
The Tourism Minister’s firm resolve to crack a whip on the illegal hawkers seemed to have no takers on the ground. This despite the fact that the Colva police had last month rounded up around eight hawkers
for creating nuisance to the visitors.
Otherwise, consider this. Illegal migrant hawkers make their presence felt on the beach almost every day, notwithstanding action mulled by the Tourism Minister against all illegalities along the beach belt.
Hordes of migrant hawkers have been found invading the Colva beach, looking out for prospective customers to paint tattoos on their bodies. Last month, the Colva police had rounded up a group of hawkers, but
that action seemed to have not changed the ground
reality.
Stray dog menace may paint a negative image of the iconic beach before the thousands of visitors that throng Colva every year. Inquiries have revealed that no authority is presently involved
in tackling the stray dog menace.
The Colva panchayat says the body had written a letter to the government to find a solution to the stray dog menace at least before the onset of the new tourism
season.
Colva beach, considered the Queen of beaches in South Goa, plays host to thousands of tourists, both domestic and international, every year.
While the world class beach belt lacked basic amenities such as changing rooms and toilets, the Tourism department has set in motion the process of putting in place these facilities, besides beautification of the beach square and improvement in vehicular parking.
