MARGAO
The proposed survey of the Tourism department properties failed to take off along Salcete coastal belt on Monday after Tourism officials played truant.
When The Goan called up the surveyors drafted by the Director of Settlement and Land Records Johnson Fernandes to shed light on the survey scheduled to commence on Monday, it was pointed out that the Tourism department officials did not turn up for the survey.
Sources pointed out that the tourism officials did not come to pick up the surveyors for want of vehicles.
Sources said the surveyors designated by the Director of Settlement and Land Records are presently posted at the Salcete office. But the survey could not take off for want of the tourism officials.
“Since the Tourism department is an applicant to conduct the survey, the officials were supposed to pick up the survey officials and head to the Salcete coast to conduct the survey”, sources said.
Survey officials, however, pointed out that the survey, though it was scheduled to kick start on Monday, will start as and when the Tourism department officials report at the survey office.
As per the scheduled drawn by the Director of Settlement and Land Survey, the surveyors were scheduled to kick start the survey of the tourism properties along Salcete beach located at Utorda, Gonsua, Betalbatim, Majorda, Colva, Sernabatim, Benaulim, Varca and Cavelossim.
The surveyors have been given six weeks to complete the survey along the Salcete coastal belt.
Sources informed that the department has ordered the survey of the beach belt from Pernem to Canacona to ascertain the encroachments by unscrupulous elements usurping the area belonging to the department.
Incidentally, sources informed that a survey of the tourism department properties was carried out around 2008 by demarcating the properties with stones. This time, however, the survey is being undertaken departmentally, with the government conveying approval to survey the entire beach stretch so that the illegal encroachments could be identified and removed to preserve land belonging to the department of Tourism.
When The Goan contacted the Director of Settlement and Land Records who was asked to shed light on why the survey could not take place along the Salcete belt, Johnson said he would find out from the officials.
Sources, however, said the staff which was supposed to be drafted by the Tourism department, did not report for the survey for want of vehicles.
