The development master plan for Colva beach will soon be shared with Colvenkars. This plan is part of the revamped Swadesh Darshan 2.0 programme of the Ministry of Tourism. The scheme aims to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations across the country, with a strong focus on local communities and public involvement. While the mission sounds good on paper, I have concerns based on how other development plans in Goa have been presented with big promises but poor results. From what I see in Goa, I do not have confidence in the planning, professionalism or integrity of the authorities, who often appear to work in a corrupt, selfish and damaging manner.
A recent example is the Smart Cities Mission launched in June 2015, which promised to transform 100 cities with better infrastructure and a clean, sustainable environment using “smart solutions”. The goal was to improve citizens’ quality of life through inclusive development. But are we truly seeing this vision become a reality in Panaji today? It is very important for Colvenkars to take interest and carefully review the proposed development master plan. Too often, people in Goa have been disappointed by development projects. We must ensure that the same does not happen in Colva, if the plan moves ahead in any form.
