MARGAO
The government’s controversial Jetty Policy 2022 came in for strong opposition at the Cavelossim gram sabha on Sunday with the local fishing communities and the water sports operators rejecting the policy outright.
At the panchayat’s first gram sabha chaired by sarpanch Dixon Vaz, the jetty policy came up for discussions and deliberations, wherein the local stakeholders conveyed a message loud and clear to the government that they are opposed to commercial utilisation of the jetties and take over by the corporates.
The fishing stakeholders recalled how the local communities survived on the marine resources during the Covid pandemic, adding that they do not want any commercial activities in the sea and the rivers under the guise of jetty policy. Expressing concern over the Jetty policy, the stakeholders said the policy will take away all their rights, and local businesses will suffer.
The government's plans to bring in outside taxi aggregators also came up for discussions, wherein the local stakeholders maintained that these aggregators, if allowed, will spell doom for the local taxi operators eking a living in the tourist taxi business.
The issue of staff working in starred hotels parking on the roadside outsides the resorts, which is causing inconvenience to the public, was raised. He said he would soon have a meeting with the management of all the hotels on priority and direct them to arrange parking facilities for the employees inside their premises.
Another long pending issue of beach accesses came up for discussion. After discussions, the sarpanch said he would soon rope in a government surveyor to demarcate the beach accesses before the panchayat initiates further action.
The issue of starred resorts selling off their hotels and carrying out renovations sans panchayat permission was also raised. The sarpanch replied that the panchayat would soon issue notices to the hotels to find out the nature of renovations and extensions undertaken inside the hotels.
Five major village committees were formed -- biodiversity committee, village development committee, sanitation committee, women and child committee and disaster management committee. The sarpanch has promised all support to the panels, saying the committees will have the budget and power to function.
Villagers suggested that the panchayat should explore all angles to get maximum revenue from the events taking place at the hotels.
