CANDOLIM: The stakeholders in tourism along the coastal belt of Calangute have congratulated the Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar over his statement in stopping illegalities along the Baga-Sinquerim beach belt.
The North Goa beach belt attracts thousands of tourists throughout the year. To make a fast buck many illegal shacks have mushroomed besides other illegalities such as illegal massagers, hawkers, beggars, touts and pimps thereby giving a bad name to the villages.
The locals say that such illegalities along the beach belt should have been stopped many years back.
Tourism stakeholders at Candolim allege that the sopo collector is collecting sopo from hawkers thereby giving them protection to carry on their illegal business. Illegal stalls have also sprouted up at the entrance of the Candolim beach which is causing nuisance to tourists.
The vice president of North Goa Rent-a-cab association said that his association fully supports the statement made by the Tourism Minister regarding illegalities taking place in the coastal belt.
A Candolim shack owner Mary said that illegalities take place when the police are off duty i.e at 5.30 pm. She said that the hawkers do roaring business which is a loss to the state exchequer.
Vincent another shack owner from Candolim said that illegal massagers fight for customers. He said that they have neither experience nor qualification which at times can be fatal for the tourist.
Sub-inspector Saroj incharge of the tourist police said that the need of the hour is to patrol the beach belt. He said that the tourist police needs two jeeps and due to the sea water the vehicle gets corroded.
Saroj said that there is a shortage of staff due to which there is no night patrolling in Candolim and the tourist police is available only at Baga and Calangute. He said that 10 police constables are put on duty. While action is being taken on illegalities, Saroj said that beggars carrying a child create problems for the police as when they are caught begging they drop the child and make counter complaints against the police.