Centre for Responsible Tourism, Goa

Western Indian coastline is tsunami prone: Scientist

Posted on September 6, 2016 by crtgoa9020

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Western-Indian-coastline-is-tsunami-prone-Scientist/articleshow/54027026.cms

City planners need to incorporate the potential of the western Indian coastline as a tsunami-prone area, when they plan urban habitats in the region, an expert has said.

Speaking to IANS, outgoing Director of the National Institute of Oceanography S.W.A. Naqvi also said that tsunamis were not new to the western Indian coastline, the latest being in 1945, which hit the coast of Gujarat and whose effects were felt in Mumbai as well as Goa.

“I think we need to be careful, that if this is a tsunami-prone area and we have a very recent evidence that it happened around 70 years ago, planners must take that into account,” Naqvi said.

The tsunami phenomenon is normally associated with the country’s eastern coastline and the extreme southern reaches of Kerala.

Naqvi, however, said that two major tsunamis were recorded along he western coast as well. While one such wave measuring as high as 10 metres rocked the Gujarat coast in November 1945, the other such tsunami was recorded around five centuries ago, even affecting a Portuguese fleet, sailing near the coastline.

“I think it also happened in 1520s, shortly after the Portuguese came here. Their fleet was also affected,” he said.

The tsunamis, he said, occur due to seismic activity in the Makran region off Gujarat, which is a boundary between two plates and is tectonically active area.

“There was a major earthquake of 8.1 Richter scale (in 1945). That tsunami hit Mumbai and our feeling is it may have come to Goa too,” he said.

The third and possibly one of the earliest recorded tsunamis, Naqvi said, could have occurred 3,500 years ago at Dholavira, once a port and the biggest Harappan site in India.

“At Dholavira 5,000 years back, they had a fair idea that this was a tsunami prone area, but because economically it was a very strategic area, they built the city and port. But they also built an 18-metre (thick) wall to protect them from the tsunami,” Naqvi said. The port town flourished for around 1,500 years before a tsunami destroyed it, the scientist said.

“Our hypothesis is that it was built as a protective measure against marine disasters, tsunamis and storm surges because it was a major port at that time,” he added.

Posted in Environment | Leave a comment

Congress smells rat in tourism master plan

Posted on September 4, 2016 by crtgoa9020

For those who have studied the tourism master plan…it is very clear that this is a policy that will lead to the annihilation of the people and sale of the state

The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Saturday slammed the state government for showing haste in implementing the tourism master plan without undertaking comprehensive public consultation. GPCC spokespersonTrajano D’Mello alleged it to be a scam and demanded that the state extend the timeframe for people to voice their suggestions and objections regarding it.

Congress also strongly demanded the involvement of every village or municipality in the prepration of the tourism master plan. “The detailed project report (DPR) should be approved in the gram sabhas meeting of the respective villages or municipalities where the masterplan will come into effect,” D’Mello added.

The government has kept the DPR of the tourism masterplan open since August 26 for a period of 15 days for suggestions and objections after which, the masterplan will be finalized.

“The tourism master plan is another scam in the offing. The tourism minister, by his own actions, has proved to be a scam master. It is an established fact that tourism at the moment has brought more evil than good,” D’Mello said.

D’Mello alleged that massive land-conversion would take place under the guise of tourism projects. He also questioned the need for 4 crore to be paid as consultancy fees toKPMG.

Posted in Reports | Leave a comment

Congress demands probe into beach cleaning

Posted on September 4, 2016 by crtgoa9020

The Congress wakes up…A little too late…Hope they remain awake !!

tour

Posted in Beaches of Goa | Leave a comment

‘Migrant children vulnerable to exploitation in tourism sector’

Posted on September 1, 2016 by crtgoa9020

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Migrant-children-vulnerable-to-exploitation-in-tourism-sector/articleshow/53952998.cms

Migrant children, as young as four, are being pushed into exploitative situations in the tourism industry, with this vulnerability intensifying as they grow older, a report has found. The report ‘Walking the Tightrope- Exploitation of Migrant Children in Tourism in Goa’ by Equations, Bengaluru, in collaboration with Caritas Goa, Centre for Responsible Tourism, Child Rights Goa and Jan Ugahi, was released on Tuesday.

Tourism allows children to be part of the invisible labour force, exposing them to the risk of being exploited economically, physically, sexually and emotionally. The study has found the contribution of migrants to the economy is not recognized and the community continues to be oppressed, discriminated against and sexually exploited in their struggle for survival and earning a livelihood.

A total of 658 respondents covering 14 slums, including migrant families and their children, members of tourism industry, tourists, district and state government department’s law enforcement agencies and members of the community were interviewed during 2014-15 for the study that explores the links between children, tourism and migration. The study found 82% of migrant households surveyed don’t earn the minimum wage, forcing them to live a hand-to-mouth existence. 34% draw a monthly family income below 5,000, while 48% earn between 6,000 to 10,000 a month.

North Goa collector Nila Mohanan, who released the report, said that migrant children are somehow left out of the realms of health, education or protection of children’s rights. These discussions are often limited to children of those who can keep governments accountable. “As a society we’ve a responsibility towards each and every migrant child or otherwise but somehow we fail to live up to that responsibility. We’ve been struggling with this problem across government departments. I don’t think there is enough initiative being taken on the issue of migrant children,” Mohanan said, adding one of the contributing factors to this neglect of migrant children was the lack of information in terms of data and statistics. “The report will go a long way in addressing the gap and alerting society, departments and stakeholders.”

The recommendations that emerged from the report include the departments of women and child development (DWCD)and tourism (DoT) jointly developing a state plan of action to counter child exploitation in the tourism sector by involving all stakeholders.

It also recommended awareness sessions for children, parents, teachers and community members. DWCD will provide awareness and capacity building programmes for government officials and law enforcement authorities. DoT will be apprised of various codes and its mechanisms that exist on child protection and work with various sectors where the exploitation of children occurs frequently.

The system of providing counsellors to schools is inadequate and the policy needs to be drastically reviewed and reformulated by the government. There needs to be coordinated work of various departments to address the issue of drug abuse, trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children, labour and education.

Monitoring groups in schools and villages to keep a check on child abuse and assure child protection. The tourism industry should also push for zero tolerance to child exploitation in its bid to have and sustain responsible tourism.