Colva locals demand basic infrastructure in village

DIANA FERNANDES | NT

COLVA: Colva beach may be the preferred place for tourists visiting South Goa but in addition to the lack of basic beach infrastructure, the locals have a host of other issues, which they say are not being resolved by the representatives.

The beach may be buzzing with tourists both, local and foreign, but ask the locals that run restaurants and provide taxis, rickshaws and the motorcycle pilots and they point to poor infrastructure on the beach that reflects badly on the tourists visiting the place.

“There is so much of money to spend on building bridges but something as simple as providing a dustbin, toilet and changing room is taking such a long time. This is unacceptable,” said a rickshaw operator stationed at the beach. Another operator said that he has seen many foreign tourists struggle to find places to throw plastic or paper.

Though the official work of installing toilets and changing rooms has already begun, the issue of its jurisdiction falling within the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) area has slowed down the process.

Like in most parts of Salcete taluka, the Colva village also has a large group of senior citizens, who have returned after years of work in the Middle East or on ships and now live a retiree’s life in the village. Their proposal for a health centre that was put forward in 2010 under a state government scheme is yet to see the light of day.

“There are two private dispensaries in the village that close after 6 pm. In case of any medical emergency, people are left with no immediate option. In 2010, we had submitted a proposal and the tourism department allotted land of 600 square metres to upgrade the sub health centre we have to a rural medical dispensary under the NRI Commissioner’s scheme ‘Mhojo Gaun, Mhojem Goem’ in the village but till date nothing has come out of it,” said a senior citizen Alexander Fernandes, who had spearheaded a movement.

The senior citizens also keep a keen eye on national issues and were quick to point to demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) as the national issues that have affected them. “The margin of inflation has already made basic things like fruits and vegetables expensive. To add to it, imposing the GST has further led to increased prices,” said an elderly couple from Sernabatim, which also falls in the village jurisdiction along with Vanelim and Gandaulim.

Also faced with problems of garbage, erratic electricity and irregular water supply, locals are demanding that the government spend funds to improve conditions in the village.

“Building roads, filling agricultural low-lying fields and cutting down trees in the name of development has become the main priority. What we Goans really look forward to from our prospective MPs is that they should put the basic infrastructure in place and utilise funds for water conservation, agriculture, growing more trees, education, health and to develop small-scale industries. The biggest dream of every Goan today is to see Goa’s lost greenery and pristine beaches restored,” said a local resident Shakuntala Mesquita.

The issue of the sewerage project close to the beach and the initial decision to release water directly into the sea has been opposed by the locals with the panchayat intervening and bringing all sewerage corporation work to a halt. However, the residents still feel they have not heard the last of it. Roads that had been dug to lay sewerage pipes have been left with uneven surfaces and potholes that pose a risk to commuters.