MARGAO
Colva villagers in one voice opposed government’s controversial pay parking project at the world famous Colva beach, demanding the immediate scrapping of the project, asserting the project will spell doom for tourism and adversely affect the locals, including fishermen.
At an extra-ordinary gram sabha meeting of the Colva village Panchayat chaired by Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes, members shot down the proposal by raising their hands and has further resolved to hold a signature campaign in all the nine panchayat wards before a signed memorandum is submitted to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte demanding scrapping of the pay parking project.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas also attended the gram sabha and pledged his support the Colva villagers in their demand to scrap the pay parking project. He hoped the Chief Minister will see reason and scrap the project before the ensuing Christmas festivities.
Gram sabha members, including citizens, fishermen and members of the business community questioned the logic behind notifying the Colva beach square as a pay parking lot. They demanded to know why should the locals pay parking charges to go to the beach either to take a walk, leisure or for fishing.
A gram sabha member pointed out that the pay parking will encroach on the right and freedom of citizens to go to the beach. They further pointed out that tourism-related business has been down at the world famous beach since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Strongly opposing the pay parking project, a villager Assiz Afonso said the project will adversely the business by the locals. He wondered whether this is a precursor to the move to privatise the world famous beach.
“If implemented, local villagers will be stopped by the contractor and told to pay the parking fees. The tourists will move away from Colva to other beach belts. And, if visitors and tourists are charged parking fees, they will end up in paying a huge amount of money only on parking during their visit to the State”, he feared.
Another villager Eulogio Gomes said the move will drive away tourists to other beach belts if parking becomes a reality. “We have shacks in Goa. You think people will go to any of these shacks if they are charged parking fees. This should be immediately scrapped in the interest of Colva and the people”, Gomes added.
Another villager said it has become the pattern of the double engine BJP government to bring the people on the streets by mooting ill conceived projects. “First they force the people to come on the streets. Then they will give an impression they are ready to back out before bulldozing their way. We want to make it very clear to the government, people of Colva will oppose the project tooth and nail”, he added.
Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes later told the media that the extra-ordinary gram sabha has in one voice demanded scrapping of the pay parking project. The Sarpanch said a signature campaign will be launched from Friday in all the nine Panchayat wards before a memorandum is submitted to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to scrap the project.
“The voice of this extra-ordinary gram sabha is clear that the people want the government to pay heed to the message and resolution adopted at the meeting. It is totally bad to introduce pay parking at the beach. We have our houses close to the beach. When there is no criteria on the parking charges, even locals will be charged the parking fees. Its better the project is scrapped forthwith”, the Sarpanch added.
