PONDA
After disagreements between jeep operators and the government, jeep trips to the iconic Dudhsagar waterfalls are set to begin on Sunday for the first time during the ongoing tourism season when Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and leaders of Dudhsagar Tour Operators Association (DTOA) arrived at an agreement late Saturday evening.
Earlier in the day, the movement of some jeeps carrying tourists to the Dudhsagar waterfalls led to tense moments in Collem, even as a number of jeep operators affiliated to the DTOA took part in a chain hunger strike on Saturday to demand the shutting down of the GTDC counter at Collem.
TENSION AT
COLLEM
On Saturday morning, trouble began when a few jeep operators began taking tourists to the Dudhsagar waterfalls amid police protection and this angered the protesting jeep operators, who blocked some jeeps.
As tensions began to escalate, former MP Vinay Tendulkar and Savordem BJP Block President Vilas Desai rushed to the spot. Dharbandora Deputy Collector Nilesh Dhaygodkar, Ponda DySP Shivram Vaigankar, Collem Police Inspector Raghoba Kamat, Ponda Police Inspector Vijaynath Kavlekar, Mardol Police Inspector Yogesh Sawant and other police teams were present in large numbers in the area.
Tendulkar then contacted Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who agreed to convene a meeting with the protesting jeep operators.
The jeep operators affiliated to the DTOA had threatened to start a chain hunger strike from Saturday, as the government had not shut down the GTDC counter as demanded by them.
On Friday night, a group of people allegedly began pressurising some jeep operators to start tour operations and a few jeep operators agreed to begun tour operations under police protection.
On Saturday, protesting jeep operators offered prayers before launching their chain hunger strike.
In the meanwhile, Deputy Collector Nilesh Dhaygodkar under police protection tried to get around five jeeps to transport tourists to the Dudhsagar waterfalls. This angered the protesting jeep operators and they blocked some jeeps carrying the tourists.
Deputy Collector Nilesh Dhaygodkar and DySP Shivram Vaigankar tried to pacify the agitated jeep owners. Tendulkar and BJP Mandal president Vilas Desai also held talks with the protesting jeep operators.
Tendulkar assured the DTOA that the local MLA would discuss the issue with Sawant and would arrive at a solution.
Later speaking to reporters, DTOA President Nilesh Velip stated that an attempt is being made to create a split in the organisation.
“Some jeep owners were pressurised to start tour operations. The chain hunger strike will continue till our demands are met. The agitation will be intensified if the solution is not found,” Velip.
