The BJP government, including the Goa government and its senior ministers, keeps boasting about themselves as a “Double Engine Government.” However, what I see is quite the contrary.
For instance, in Colva, the most prominent South Goa beach destination, many basic issues are pending, which were raised by villagers at the Colva Gram Sabha. Then, the Sarpanch advises that these issues have been communicated to the Tourism Department. It appears that the Tourism Ministry, which is spending crores of taxpayers’ money marketing Goa outside, is acting as a bottleneck in addressing and facilitating all these basic needs. For example: (A) At the Colva-Sernabatim beach, it is taking an exceptionally long time to repair the steps leading down to the beach. This delay could lead to fatalities if not addressed immediately. (B) Colva Creek is still in the filthiest state, and the Tourism Department, under court orders, was supposed to address this disgusting situation with all stakeholders, including Colva Panchayat, many months ago.
For all these basic issues, there is so much letter-writing, bureaucracy, and a significant waste of time. I cannot understand why the Panchayat Minister and Tourism Minister in the so-called “Double Engine” government do not fast-track all these works in such a small state!
