Goa has a population of 15 lakh. The tourist footfalls account for a floating population of 90 lakh. The new DGP says his main focus is on tourist safety! Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari’s ramping up of National Highways in Goa did not comprise of new, state-of-the-art highways away from dense residential areas using India Road Congress designs for noise mitigation, etc. No, he took the roads from the 15 lakh locals and converted the same to cater to the 90 lakh tourists and tourism businessmen demolishing existing houses and compound walls. Every time the CM graced any function even the wildlife and tree planting drives, he said they will promote hinterland tourism. Once again they will take the infrastructure from the locals to give to tourism stakeholders.
Almost all the sitting MLAs have a tourism business. Hence, the entire Goa administration is paid to look after tourists. And the high-flying Delhi and Kolkata politicians will not fight for locals. How many of them have taken up the issue of Old Goa illegal structure? I urge Goans to make a checklist of 'who does what’ and not of ‘who says what’. The art of a confidence trickster is to speak what the target wishes to hear.
