MARGAO
With the Tourism department playing truant in the upkeep and maintenance of the world famous Colva beach, local Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva along with panch members, Deputy Collector Ajit Panchwadkar, labourers, locals, and NGOs descended on the beach and got the entire cleaned up on Sunday.
Around 120-odd labourers, besides members of the NGOs, went about the work of cleaning up the beach and the surroundings. Sand deposited at the Colva beach square was also lifted away as part the exercise, before the team moved to the neighbouring Benaulim beach.
Caitu told the media that he had to take the initiative since the Tourism Department has neglected both Colva and Benaulim beaches for quite some time.
“Colva is a world famous beach, but a neglected one too. I have been personally pursuing this issue with the Tourism Minister and the Department of Tourism to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of Colva beach, but in vain,” Caitu lamented.
The Benaulim MLA further lamented that even the sand bags, which were erected on the culverts leading to the beach as a bunker during the Christmas season, has not been removed away by the police department. Colva panch member Francis Cardozo said that correspondence made to the Tourism Department for the upkeep and maintenance of the Colva beach failed to evoke any response from the department.
“The creek is stinking, while the waste is not collected on a regular basis. Thousands of people visit the beach, but the government has not taken any initiative for its upkeep,” Cardozo said.
Outgoing Colva sarpanch Snowkon Gonsalves, besides other panch members, also took part in the
cleanliness drive.
