MARGAO
Now, the children’s play area at the iconic Colva beach is craving for attention of the visitors and locals alike.
While visitors complain of the children’s play items installed in the area crumbling for want of upkeep and maintenance, villagers along with Colva Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes lamented over the lack of illumination as a result of which the play area has become a den of anti-social activity, playing host to open public drinking and loitering by boys and girls late night.
A visit to the beach further revealed the menace posed by the strays, including stray cattle and dogs. The CCTV cameras installed at the beach have also turned defunct for want of upkeep and maintenance.
Villager Arun Karekar rued that Colva beach is iconic only on paper as the government and the Tourism Department have failed to take care of the beach given its status. “The children’s play area at the beach is famous given the number of play items installed at the area. But, the absence of upkeep and maintenance of the items have driven away many a children coming with their parents on the beach,” he said.
He added: “The entire children’s play area is in darkness for want of illumination. Though the area lies in darkness, no attempt has been made to repair the lights and restore the illumination. This has only helped unscrupulous people to resort to open drinking. We find many boys and girls visiting the play area after sunset. The government should act immediately before any untoward incident takes place.”
Colva Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes echoed similar sentiments. The Sarpanch pointed out that she had personally complained to the Power Department over the non-functional lights at the children’s play area. “No doubt, the linesmen immediately attended to my call, but they said the matter falls in the domain of the Tourism Department,” she said.
Saying the name of Colva will be tarnished if any untoward incident happens at the children’s play area, the Sarpanch said the Power Department should immediately write a letter to the Tourism Department, informing that the non-functional lights fall in the jurisdiction of the Tourism Department. “We came across the pitch dark conditions at the Colva children’s play area when we had come to inspect and verify the allegations of the public toilet releasing the sewage into the Colva creek. The situation is indeed bad. The panchayat too will write a letter to the Tourism Department to initiate necessary action,” Suzie added.
