How old is Goa’s tourism sector? 40 years or 50 years? All activities are centred in coastal areas where, from inception, the common grouse of the inhabitants, not all living off the trade, is noise pollution.
The designated authorities to tackle noise pollution include the police officers. After 50 years, these officers could not ensure they possess working and calibrated decibel meters despite getting complaints almost every week. Now, all of us know why. We also know the regular violations of so many other laws such as SOPs, lockdowns, prostitution, drug pedaling and consumption, littering, drinking on beaches and breaking of glass bottles, etc.
An accomplice is a person who helps another commit a crime. The way all the illegalities are actually ‘allowed’ to take place, will anyone recommend we replicate coastal tourism in the hinterland, the soft underbelly of Goa? All villages do not have police stations. Whom will the people complain to? In 2018, the Collector banned sale of liquor in Surla on the complaint of women from the village that tourists were harassing womenfolk when under the influence of alcohol.
The government is promoting hinterland tourism even though they cannot control coastal tourism. Villages must pass laws on the type of tourism they want in their village, not the TTAG. Do they want massage parlours most camouflaged for prostitution, to influence their children? The way the Central government is taking over Goan waters, soon even the hinterland will go to businessmen. This is their agenda where marinas will be gifted to corporates - fishing jetties, MPT jurisdiction whatever. Think long-term before harping. Ignorance can be a crime.
