Anjuna and many villages in the northern tourist belt are suffering from a host of issues including water shortages, congestion, noise pollution and negative effects of unsustainable development. In Colva, I see the same mistakes being done with regards to the way permissions are given for hotels, guest houses, restaurants, swimming pools, apartment blocks, etc. There seems to be no proper planning and checks being done by the Colva Panchayat and the TCP on critical things like carrying capacity, water supply, sewage, garbage management, etc before giving approvals. Low lying areas, fields, open spaces are being taken over for real estate development many times by violating environmental laws. Moreover commercial establishments are coming into residential areas and there does not seem to be a proper /panchayat policy on the same. Colvenkars must keep a strict check to ensure Colva does not follow in the footsteps of Anjuna and other seriously affected coastal villages in the North.
