MARGAO
Visitors to the world famous Colva beach have to contend with an unusual issue, sand deposit on the beach square posing danger to motorists.
Take note, two-wheeler riders have been complaining of increasing number of accidents around the circle close to the beach, but there’s no sign of a clean-up operation initiated neither by the Tourism Department nor by the local Colva panchayat body.
Locals pointed out that the sand deposit at the beach square has increased to such an extent that it is posing danger to the motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.
In the past, locals had taken up the work of cleanliness of the beach square, but in vain. Questions are being raised in local tourist circles over the failure of the Tourism Department to undertake the work of lifting away the sand deposits on the beach square, especially around the traffic circle.
When The Goan took up the matter with Colva village Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes to shed light on the sand deposit on the beach square, she was quick to concede that sand deposit at the beach square is posing danger to motorists.
In fact, Suzie reminded that the panchayat had once removed the sand deposits at the beach square by spending an amount of Rs 45,000 on the labourers. She, however, hastened to add that the property belongs to the Tourism Department, adding that the department should take steps to ensure that the beach square is sand-free.
“Last time round, the panchayat had spent Rs 45,000 to lift away the sand from the beach square. But, we cannot go on lifting the deposits when the property in question is owned by the Tourism Department,” he said.
She further pointed out that the panchayat will have to face the audit for spending money on removing the sand from the Tourism property. “The Tourism Department should take up the work on priority by deploying labourers to clean up the beach square,” she said.
Promising to initiate action in the matter, the Sarpanch said the panchayat would immediately write to the Tourism director, seeking his intervention in resolving the issue of sand deposit on the beach.
