TOURISM POLICY FOR GOA

GOA TOURISM BOARD MEETS: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant chaired the first meeting of the Goa Tourism Board, constituted for promotion and implementation of tourism policy and tourism oriented projects in Goa, at the Secretariat in Porvorim on December 23, 2021. He expressed the hope that with positive implementation of various projects the new tourism policy under Goa Tourism Board will ensure Swayampurna Goa in the tourism sector. Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar assured that the GTB will ensure sustainable and speedy growth of the tourism in Goa. Additional infrastructure on the cards includes public conveniences, beach infrastructure, security and surveillance, road side amenities, signages, etc. Goa hopes to be an innovative and responsible tourism destination while preserving Goas cultural heritage and natural assets. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Parimal Rai (IAS), Secretary to CM Ashok Kumar (IAS), Tourism Director Menino Dsouza (IAS) and GTDC Managing Director Nikhil Dessai and others.for the function and the latter in his welcome address shared that similar Goa Utsav celebrations are being organised Ponda, Margao, Sanquelim and Mapusa.

RIVER MANDOVI DYING?

GOANS must wake up and determine how sewage discharge into the river Mandovi is impacting it. I don’t agree with the statement come up in the Rajya Sabha. According to me the STP plant at St Inez-Tonca is overloaded by sewage tankers coming from various sources like the five-star hotels and offshore casinos.
The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) at Dona Paula can verify to what extend the river Mandovi is being polluted and contaminated. I’m not sure if the government will commission any real study of the river Mandovi.
I have inspected the STP plant and found sewage tankers discharging sewage beyond the capacity of the plant and all excess is discharged into the St Inez Creek which in turns stagnates or moves on to the river Mandovi. When inspected the sewage coming from the casinos via supply boats into the standing on platform jetty, I was not allowed to do any verification and stopped by security at the Captain of Ports jetty. So it means there’s no transparency on loading operations.
It is very clear that the St Inez Creek is very polluted by treated and untreated sewage draining into it from high rise buildings, migrant housing on its peripheries and the overloaded and overworked STP plant. A sample for analysis can very well offer proof of sewage contamination of the river Mandovi.
The Rajya Sabha report by vested interests needs to be further verified by appointing a government agency to substantiate the claim by analysis of water sample near offshore casinos, and reveal the percentage of pollution contamination of the river.
— Stephen Dias, Dona Paula

HOW TRUSTWORTHY IS CM?
CHIEF Minister Dr Pramod Sawant has reportedly said (obviously at the behest of his Sangh Parivar bosses and keeping an eye on the upcoming assembly elections) that the temples destroyed by the Portuguese need to be rebuilt and has also appealed to people to support him in taking up the ask of reinstating Hindu temples and Hindu sanskriti in Goa.
In other words Sawant wants all his die-hard saffron supporters to start spending their time by coming up with their own exaggerated, fictitious, fabricated stories of history (just like their counterparts from states like UP) and slowly target the religious structures of minorities (on the lines of demolition of the Babri Masjid mosque at Ayodhya) in the name of re-instating Hindu temples and Hindu sanskriti in different parts of Goa.
Looks like Sawant wants to disturb the centuries old communal harmony of our Goa by desperately playing divisive communal politics for his own survival and distracting Goans from his major failures in Goa.
I personally feel that a politician like Dr Pramod Sawant, who openly displays his leanings towards a fascist organisation like the RSS, should not be trusted or taken lightly anymore. He should be rejected by leaders of all political parties as he is a dangerous man for peace-loving Goa and its Goenkarponn.
Those who dream of dividing Goans along religious lines will take us back to the primitive dark ages, and by stubbornly refusing to live in the present world, should just not be allowed to rule Goa in the near future! Viva Goa, Viva Goenkar!
— Jerry Fernandes, Saligao

DON’T SPLIT VOTES!
ONE particular equation that may emerge after the Assembly election in early 2022 is: What if the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, TMC and Revolutionary Goans cobble up a coalition government if they have to make up the numbers? Assuming that the BJP does not get a clear majority but still emerges as the single largest party, will the above four parties join together to form the government?
Such an eventuality can happen considering the political upheavals that are taking place in Goa now. Two BJP MLAs have left their party. Would it not be prudent for the four parties to have a pre-poll alliance and not split the votes which if there is a pre-poll alliance will by and large stay intact?
With the GFP, Goencho Avaaz, MGP, NCP (Churchill) and the MDF having already aligned, such a possibility cannot be ruled out. Would it not be better then for the four parties to align themselves unitedly with a clear pre-poll alliance or seat-sharing understanding? It may be stressed that each going separate ways may lead either to forgo a few seats which would be counter-productive in the final analysis. Quelling of dissidence is an issue that can be addressed with disciplined falling in line for the collective good.
— Elvidio Miranda, Panaji

POLITICAL PARTIES
THERE has to be a clear dividing line between government programs and those of the political party in power. Over the last decade we have seen how the BJP converts government functions into political party affairs. The latest example is the Liberation Day celebrations which were obviously hooked in to BJP political image whitewashing.
The government has been misusing power and official machinery to try and get mileage for the party. But the people of Goa who have suffered due to the rampant corruption and mis-governance read in between the lines and will not be fooled!
Spending tax-payers money to promote the ruling party is impermissible and it is surprising that administration remains a mere spectator to this gory state of affairs. And with Goa going to polls very soon, despite the code of conduct not in force yet, it is incumbent that the Election Commission should act against any abuse of power and misuse of taxpayers’ money to gain political mileage.
A financially bankrupt government spending enormously on state functions to promote itself is terrible. It will all be in vain for the people of Goa are not fools and more and more citizens want to be liberated once again, this time from the BJP raj!
— Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar