Workers engaged by the Colva Panchayat on the job to lift away the sand deposits at the Colva beach square as the work is monitored by the Colva Sarpanch, Panchayat and VDC members. Tourism department appointed contractor restricts beach cleaning only
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
With no agency forthcoming to clean up the Colva beach square over the question of jurisdiction, the Colva Panchayat took the initiative to clear the square of the sand deposits in the interest of the safety of the visiting tourists.
While labourers engaged by the Panchayat went about the job of clearing the sand deposits, Colva Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes made a plea to the Tourism department to also include the Colva beach square in the beach cleaning contract to keep the place clean and free from sand and waste.
“When the sand from the beach flies and settles on the beach square which is used as a parking lot for the visiting tourists, the Tourism department should assumed the responsibility to ensure there are not sand deposits on the beach square and the area is maintained clean”, Suzie said.
While pointing out that the beach cleaning contractor does not take up the work of cleaning the Colva beach square on the ground that it does not form part of the beach cleaning agreement, the Sarpanch has informed that the Panchayat has dashed off a letter to the Tourism department to include the beach square right up to the Silver Sands hotels in the beach cleaning contract.
"People of Colva eke a living from the income generated from the tourism business. Be it the shack or restaurant owners or small time businessmen, they all depend on the tourism business for their livelihood. These stake holders also pay hefty fees to the Tourism department”, the Sarpanch said.
She added: “We are insisting on the cleanliness of the Colva beach square for the simple reason that Colva plays host to increasing number of tourists. If the tourists stop coming to Colva for want of cleanliness, the people will be the first to affected”.
The Sarpanch further pointed out that Tourism department should take measures to ensure that Colva maintains its status as an iconic beach.
Convenor of Colva Village Development Committee (VDC), Eulogio Gomes said the cleaning of the sand at the Colva beach square will help attract more tourists to the iconic beach. “This is a good initiative taken by the Colva panchayat. Development means cleanliness, which will attract more tourists and generate income for the people”, Gomes said.
The VDC Convenor has made an impassioned plea to the small businessmen including hand cart operators to store their waste at one place so that the same is lifted by the contractor engaged by the panchayat body.
“If there is any garbage issue, any citizen can bring it to the notice of the VDC members, which in turn would take up the matter with the Sarpanch for redressal”, he said, while making an appeal to the appeal to work together towards the cleanliness of the tourist village.
