the goan I network
PERNEM
The tourism season along the coast is officially beginning in October, but the Lamani women have already started flocking to the beaches of Pernem taluka to sell their wares.
According to sources, the Lamanis erected their makeshift stalls to sell ready-made garments along Pernem’s coast in August, but are yet to take permission from the authorities concerned. “Authorities do not permit locals and other stakeholders to build toilets and changing rooms on beaches for foreign and domestic tourists, but do not act against these stalls erected by Lamanis by the roadside leading to the beaches. These Lamanis have become a nuisance to tourists visiting beaches,” remarked a local.
“Rooms were reserved for these Lamanis, who arrived in the coastal areas during Ganesh Chaturthi. They have even encroached on government land to erect their stalls.”
Other tourist operators recalled Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar’s assurance last year of taking action against Lamanis doing business on beaches.
A growing number of locals strongly suspect a link between the lamanis and drug peddlers, adding that any strict action against the latter would also curb the Lamani menace.
Sources said tourists visit the beaches at Morjim, Ashwe-Mandrem, Harmal and Keri-Tiracol in large numbers, but absence of toilets and changing rooms, drinking water and parking is caused inconvenience to the visiting guests. “All plans were merely on paper and nobody, not even the tourism minister who is from Pernem taluka and the local MLA are interested in setting up these facilities. The government earns crores of rupees in revenue and even if one per cent of this income is spent, the necessary facilities can be created,” said Narayan Redkar, a local vendor.
Responding to the situation, social activist and Director of Goa Tourism Development Corporation Jeet Arolkar had constructed a changing room and toilet at Tembwada-Morjim from his personal funds on the eve of his birthday last year. “The government can provide the required toilet and changing room facilities, but it is very difficult to get permission from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA). The GTDC is trying hard in this direction,” Arolkar said.
