the goan I network
MARGAO
The tourist village of Colva wore a deserted look on Monday as business establishments downed shutters to express solidarity with the Colva tourist taxi operators, who are engaged in a battle with the Goa Miles Taxi App service.
The bandh comes three days after the Colva tourist taxi drivers clashed with the drivers of the Goa Miles Taxi App service on Saturday to oppose the latter inside the GTDC-run Colva Residency.
The beach road from the Church junction wore a deserted look with business establishments, including garments and jewellery shops, restaurants and hotels, tour booking offices, remaining closed for the day. Only buses operated in the village, while black and yellow and tourist taxis stayed off the roads.
Colva Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes said no one enforced the bandh on Monday, but the stakeholders volunteered to shut down their establishments in support of the agitating tourist taxi operators. “I demand that the government reintroduce the badge criteria for any one plying taxis to prevent outsiders from entering the business. Otherwise, our local tourist operators will have to resort to begging in the absence of business,” he added.
Former Colva sarpanch Snowkon Gonsalves, who runs a hotel, said the business establishments remained closed as the stakeholders have expressed solidarity with the local tourist taxi operators.
Former Sarpanch and panch member Menino Fernandes said Colva witnessed a voluntary and spontaneous bandh just to convey a message to the government that the tourism stakeholders are united on the issue of protecting the interests of the local operators.
“The government should take cognizance of Monday’s bandh and do nothing that would displace the local tourist operators from their traditional business,” Menino added.
Let SP prove I slapped Goa Miles
driver, will quit politics: Churchill
MARGAO: With the Colva police registering a FIR against him for allegedly assaulting a Goa Miles Taxi driver on Saturday, MLA Churchill Alemao on Monday dared he would quit politics or the district police chief should leave his uniform if it is proved that he had slapped the taxi driver at Colva.
“I am ready for an arrest. In my political career, I have faced many cases and arrests. But, if the SP, South, claims the police has a CD showing that I am slapping the Goa Miles Taxi driver, I am ready to quit politics or the SP should remove his uniform,” he challenged.
Tourist taxi operators from Benaulim constituency and outside rallied behind Churchill saying they will not keep quiet if the police arrest the Benaulim MLA on concocted and false allegations. “We will stand by Churchill if the police arrest him on a false allegation,” Tourist taxi leader Bappa Korgaonkar thundered, even as Colva panch Menino Fernandes said people from Benaulim constituency will not remain silent spectators if the police arrest Churchill on false charges.
