PANAJI:
Residents of Panaji's St Tome area held discussions with CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate, where they placed several demands including regulating inflow of tourists into their locality and centralised parking arrangements for visitors' vehicles outside.
The mayhem caused in the locality of their residences with tourists flocking there and many a times displaying unruly behaviour had prompted the meeting. Panaji MLA, Atanasio Monserrate too held a meeting with the residents earlier this week and had asked the residents to hold discussions with the mayor to examine how to resolve their issues
Meanwhile, the mayor will hold another meeting with the residents next week to thrash out the nitty gritties and finalise the details to deal with the frequent skirmishes between tourists and residents there.
Monserrat Jr meanwhile told the media that the police, transport and tourism departments and officials from the Collectorate will be present at the meeting even as he said that suggestions had been made by the locals in Wednesday's meeting which will be considered and implemented.
Residents have complained that their locality gets overcrowded throughout the day, disturbing their peace and privacy even inside their homes, including late at night.
St Tome has also seen several restaurants, bars, cafes and Bistros set up shop over the last few years raising the commercial nature several notches of a locality that was once largely residential.
Residents who met the mayor meanwhile, said that while tourism must be encouraged, the tourists must maintain decorum and not be unruly.
They said, police may have to be deployed and the number of tourists should be regulated.
Meanwhile, the Fest de Povo (People's Festival) which was hosted in the locality and was a big success last year may not be organised this year.
Monserrat said if the residents do not want it, we will not organise this festival in the area.
