the goan I network
PANAJI
The Goa Green Brigade (GGB) on Tuesday raised objections to the recently unveiled draft Goa Tourism Master Plan 2023 prepared by consultancy firm KPGM.
They criticised the draft plan claiming that it will have negative impact on Goa’s environment and heritage if implemented.
“We demand that a new plan be created with people’s participation at the local panchayat level as per the 73rd Constitutional Amendment so as to take into consideration the availability of local resources, manpower, utility services without disturbing the existing agriculture, fishing and other local traditional occupations,” GGB stated in a press note.
“The tourism policy must ensure that the fruits of tourism development benefit the indigenous people instead of the current model of tourism which displaces the local population of its lands and occupations,” the press note added.
The group also complained against mass tourism, claiming that Goa is already facing a strain on its resources due to the influx of large number of tourists.
“We strongly condemn the “Blue Flag” concept of regeneration of Goa’s beaches which contradicts the basic concept of sustainable tourism development in Goa. The draft plan envisages concretisation of beaches under the guise of beach regeneration which will be highly damaging to our coastline, sand dunes, mangroves and marine ecology,” the group said.
The brigade demanded that the state government cancel the draft plan prepared by KPGM and that the money paid to the firm be recovered.
