Tourists, visitors return disappointed; North & South operators to meet to chalk out future course
MARGAO
In a rare show of unison by the Cavelossim-based water sports operators, all water sports activities in the village came to a screeching halt on Saturday with the operators preferring to anchor their boats on the beach instead of operating the activity through Goa Electronics Ltd (GEL).
Tourists and visitors to the Cavelossim beach had to return back disappointed as no water sports boat operated at the beach on Saturday.
While Saturday saw the water sports supporters operating from Cavelossim boycotting the GEL kiosk in protest over the Tourism Department’s decision to bulldoze with the system, sources pointed out that plans are now afoot to unite water sports operators from across the State to oppose the decision to bring in GEL to man the queue system.
With the Tourism Department planning to bring in GEL into water sports activities across the State’s beach belt, sources said water sports operators from both North and South Goa are likely to meet soon to chalk out the future course of action.
Saturday saw the water sports operators operating from Cavelossim beach boycotting the GEL kiosk and preferring to anchor the boats on the beach.
If Friday saw the Tourism Department forcefully implementing the queue system via GEL with strong police protection, Saturday saw the water sports operators showing rare unison by boycotting the GEL kiosk. After setting up the kiosk on Friday, GEL had recorded two trips by jet ski and a third trip by a water sports boat after majority of the water sports operators anchored their boats in protest against the implementation of queue system via GEL.
Water sports operator Roy Barretto informed that all the water sports operating from Cavelossim anchored their boats in protest against the system forcefully implemented by the Tourism Department through GEL. “We have never said no to the queue system. But, the government is trying to bring in GEL to implement the queue system for water sports operators for reasons best known to the officials,” he said.
He added: “This is the first time in recent times that the water sports operators from Cavelossim beach have anchored their water sports boats in protest against the government decision. We will continue our peaceful protest against the decision. We are all ready to implement the queue system, but not through GEL. It is a clear attempt to displace the Niz Goemkars from the business of water sports operations in the State.”
All 50 water sports boats operating from the three demarcated points were found anchored on the beach, while others were pulled to the shore.
Tourism Deputy Director, Rajesh Kale confirmed that the water sports operators boycotted the GEL kiosk and stopped water sports operations on Saturday. “I have informed Tourism Director Nikhil Desai on the emerging situation at Cavelossim,” he said.
Water sports operators have questioned the Tourism Department’s decision to implement the queue system through GEL, demanding to know whether the High Court had directed the Tourism Department to only rope in GEL to man the queue system.
