Economics of deceit . The government has found a way to slide in 5 star hotels through the back door and they are hoodwinking the public by making them believe they are into industrial development. In the final analysis the government wants the small and medium sector to disappear.
Today they are painting a sorry face. When Kejrival spoke of the state on goan tourism they asked him for an apology !
http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=17804
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal s comments have just triggered anew, the debate over Goa being perceived as a destination for narcotic consumption under successive regimes of the Congress as well as the BJP. And while State BJP President Vinay Tendulkar has demanded an apology from Kejriwal for likening Goa as a destination for drugs, senior BJP minister and Siolim MLA Dayanand Mandrekar now claims that drugs are not only freely available in coastal areas, urban centres and educational institutions in Goa, he also says that the BJP-led coalition government cannot do much about it. “Drugs are available in Panaji and Sattari too. What can we do about it? Is there any control on that? In Mapusa, drugs are available, day and night. Why youth, here students are getting spoiled,” Mandrekar retorted to a query of The Goan. Giving a clean chit to the beach parties, the minister said drugs did not happen at the beach parties nor was it sold on shacks. “There are no drugs available either on the shacks or at beach parties. There are specific spots where the consignment is available. People are aware of the spots. They have their dose at those spots and then join the party on the shack,” Mandrekar said taking pains to clarify that beach parties are clean fun. He also criticized the State police for targeting the shack owners and interrupting beach parties for no reason. “Many times police unnecessarily go and stop these beach parties. After conducting a search, they find no traces of drugs around the place,” he said. “Even if someone has done drugs and then comes and dances at the beach party, what can one do? Can you stop him,” he asked with a palpable angry tone. The minister had recently said that beach parties were not part of Indian culture. Batting for the two electronic dance music festivals (EDMs) – Sunburn and Supersonic – the minister said those were big events and that there was no question of drugs being sold there. “Many central leaders and their children attend these music festivals. Even SP Karthik Kashyap and Priyanka Kashyap were enjoying themselves at the Sunburn this season. What can we do? Who will stop it,” Mandrekar asked. He said for at least 15 days prior and after the Sunburn, hotels and guest houses run full house. For the last two consecutive years, Sunburn has been organized at Anjuna, an area that comes under Mandrekar s constituency. The Congress party said there was a spurt in drug trade in coastal constituencies represented by BJP MLAs and accused these legislators of shielding drug peddlers. “The drug trade has grown tremendously during the period of the BJP-led government especially in the coastal belt,” said Amarnath Panjikar, North Goa District Congress President. “If they want they can eradicate the drug trade in the State as the whole machinery is in their hands but they do not appear to be serious about it. It clearly shows that they have links with the peddlars and are protecting them for profit,” he – See more at: http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=17804#sthash.sOqL4AJx.dpuf
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Studies-warn-of-increased-Arabian-Sea-temperature/articleshow/52457085.cms
As Goa awaits the onset of the monsoons to bring relief from the oppressive summer heat, ominous dark clouds loom on the metaphorical horizon. Spelling trouble for the entire Western coast, studies have indicated that the Arabian Sea has begun warming at a faster rate since 1995.
Even more disconcerting are indications that warming of the Arabian Sea has been accompanied by a five-fold increase in the occurrence of cyclones, warmer winters and deficient rainfall, which all point to the alarming effects of climate change.
Research conducted by the National Institute of Oceanography and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi using data collated over a period of five decades has indicated that sea surface temperatures have begun to rise at an average of 0.014 degree Celsius per year, faster than the 0.08 degree Celsius recorded prior to 1995 in the Arabian Sea.
Warming of the Pacific and Indian oceans at a rapid rate has set alarm bells ringing within the global scientific community and governments. Global warming and human-induced climate change are the immediate threats to mankind and tropical regions are the most vulnerable to them, researchers have said. Global warming has different manifestations, such as increase in the number and severity of tropical cyclones, changing pattern of precipitation, melting of glaciers and associated sea level rise.
The average sea surface temperature of Arabian Sea is 28 degree Celsius. The research paper titled Response of the Arabian Sea to Global Warming and Associated Regional Climate Shift, has been authored by five researchers, S. Prasanna Kumar, Raj P. Roshin, Jayu Narvekar, P.K. Dinesh Kumar and E. Vivekanandan.
The study conducted by the five researchers have indicated that from 1960 to 1995, the increase in sea temperatures was steady but from 1995, there was a sudden increase in the pace of warming. “The Arabian Sea is experiencing a regional climate-shift after 1995, which is accompanied by a five-fold increase in the occurrence of most intense cyclones,” physical oceanographer and physicist at National Institute of Oceanography Prasanna Kumar explains.
Studies conducted by the researchers show that signs of this climate-shift are also perceptible over India such as progressively warmer winters, and decreased decadal monsoon rainfall. “The warmer winters are associated with a 16-fold decrease in the decadal wheat production after 1995, while the decreased decadal rainfall was accompanied by a decline of vegetation cover and increased occurrence of heat spells,” the research paper published in the science journal Marine Environmental Research said.
The research paper attributes the warming to increased CO2 emission. “It may be noted that the CO2 driven radiative forcing during 1995 and 2005 showed a 20% increase, the largest change for any decade in at least the last 200 years. The increase in the sea temperatures after 1995 can thus be called as the ocean response to external forcing by greenhouse gases,” Kumar said.
Garbage and poor management has been one of the major causes effecting tourism. The larger effect of all this is the effect all this has on the environment. The rains will come very soon and wash all this into the sea. Then we wonder why the rising sea levels and the storms ?
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Colva-beach-turns-into-dumping-ground/articleshow/52457483.cms
It may be popular as the queen of South Goa beaches , but Colva’s shoreline is far from regal. Littered indiscriminately with plastic and other waste by the hordes of visitors it attracts, the once pristine beach now resembles a dumping ground. A children’s play area in the vicinity is in a shambles, too. Rusted and broken, the swing, slide and see-saw there are more of a hazard to young kids than a means of recreation. Visitors also complain of lack of toilets and changing rooms, and an unbearable stench emanating from the nearby creek that itself is choked byheaps of garbage .
“Although we feel embarrassed to change in the open, we have no option but to ask other women to hold a towel or sheet around us while we change our clothes. To add our woes is the absence of toilets. There were a couple of toilets here before, which later needed some renovation, but they were demolished instead,” said senior citizen Veena Menezes , who visits the beach for her annual salt water baths. Colva, incidentally, is thronged by several senior citizens from across the state for whom such baths in the summer have become something of a tradition.
The most saddening aspect of the beach, several visitors pointed out, is the heaps of garbage that it reels under. School teacher Savio Rodrigues, who recently made a trip there, said he was “shocked and disgusted” to see large amounts of waste strewn all over the sand. The state of the nearby children’s play area, too, was pathetic, he said, fearing for the safety of the many kids who are still attracted to the decrepit and rusted swing, see-saw and merry-go-round.
“Metres away from the park, one also gets a bad odour from the creek,” Rodrigues pointed out, adding that locals alleged the water body had long been contaminated by sewage discharged from a number of hotels and restaurants operating in the area, sans the knowledge of the authorities. “As thousands of tourists visit this beach, shouldn’t they go back with fond memories?” he asked rhetorically.
While locals insist that they have tried to convince the powers-that-be to right all the wrongs at Colva beach , all they get are indolent responses, they claim.
A number of them even accuse the authorities of passing the buck in the matter.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Turtles-set-for-a-safe-haven-in-Goa/articleshow/52440735.cms
Goa’s first turtle conservation reserve at Galgibaga beach appears to be closer to realisation with Goa coastal zone management authority (GCZMA) granting approval in principle to a provisional management plan for conservation and protection of the turtle nesting site.
The plan has been prepared and submitted by chief scientist, department of science, technology and environment, Joseph S Rauto De Souza, as part of execution of an order by national green tribunal (NGT) and the government’s long term plans to ensure focused turtle conservation at the idyllic beach.
“It is important to preserve some beaches in their pristine conditions for future generations or every stretch will be concretized,” Kishore Paiginkar, a retired senior citizen said.
The otherwise desolate beach, designated as a turtle nesting site along with Agonda under coastal regulations zone notification 2011, was invaded by shacks, huts, tents and other tourism infrastructure during the 2014-15 tourism season. The nesting of Olive Ridley turtles was impacted by the increased activity. This had upset local activists and villagers.
Poinguinkarancho Ekvotta, a local NGO, filed complaints before the NGT to restore peace to the beach and to implement the proposal for a turtle reserve. “NGT had directed GCZMA to prepare the conservation plan within three weeks, in an order dated February 23, 2016,” Ekvott member Paiginkar said.
After a discussion, the GCZMA accepted the turtle reserve proposal recently and it will be presented to NGT.
Galgibaga is considered a suitable location for Olive Ridley turtles to lay their eggs during the November-March nesting season. The beach lies on the mouth of Galgibaga river, isolated from the usual din of tourism. A hill on its north cuts it off from Patnem.
The forest department has acquired 1,55,775 square metres of land for the project. As per CRZ notification, “sand dunes, beach stretches along the bays and creeks shall be surveyed and mapped…”
“The plan suggests some short and long term measures for conservation of the flippered visitors,” an official said.
Turtle conservation in Goa was pioneered in Morjim in the mid-1990s. At the time the beach was desolate and devoid of tourism activity. The threat of unregulated tourism has rendered the place unrecognisable today
Its also a very good time to look in to the safety aspects of other dangerous sports like hot air balloons. its good that the goverment is being strict about water sports safety…however the safety of all tourism activity should also be looked at etc
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/After-death-govt-suspends-all-watersports-operations/articleshow/52440775.cms
Goa government on Wednesday ordered suspension of all water sports activities across the state. The decision was taken in the wake of thedeath of a tourist on Tuesday while parasailing at Colva. A case of negligence has been booked against the water sports operators in the case of the death of West Bengal tourist, Shashishekhar Prasad, 50.
The Captain of Ports (CoP) James Braganza said the order was issued consequent to the Colva incident as a precautionary measure. The situation will be reviewed on Thursday when it will be decided whether water sport activities will be allowed to continue till May 31, he added.
Water sport activities are normally allowed till May end, but can be stopped if the weather turns bad as drastic changes sets in a week before monsoon. Water sports are not allowed to operate during monsoon.
Close to 400-500 water sport operators are granted NoC by CoP after examination of vessels used in the sports said Braganza adding that vessel inspection is a continuous process. Parasailing operators have to register with the tourism department besides they have to obtain permissions from other authorities as it is an adventure sport.
Colva police has registered a case under section 304 A (death due to negligence) against brothers Agnel Fernandes and James Fernandes, who are the owners of the speed boat, the boat operator Bhanusingh Chauvan, and parsail operator Vijay K.
PI Gurudas Kadam told TOI, “The sea was rough and weather conditions were unsuitable for such water sports, and therefore they shouldn’t have operated the parasail. This amounts to negligence on their part in taking safety precautions.”
The post mortem report on Wednesday suggests that the death occurred due todrowning , police sources said.
The body was handed over to the relatives of the deceased after conducting the necessary formalities.
Sources said that Prasad was in Goa to attend a three-day convention held by a popular apparel manufacturing company for its dealers. Prasad was one of the dealers from West Bengal and was staying at Utorda along with his wife. The convention concluded on Tuesday afternoon and Prasad along with his wife and a couple of friends visited the Colva beach. The temptation of a parasail proved irresistible for Prasad as he ignored his wife’s resistance owing to the “ill-fitting” safety jacket, which finally proved fatal.
Some parasail operators told TOI that Prasad landed “safely” after an “emergency landing” in the water. “The speed boat operator realized that the parachute was not ascending to the desired height, probably owing to bad weather conditions, and therefore decided to have an emergency landing. The chute landed in the water close to the shore, but he (Prasad) failed to wade through the waist deep water as just then a large wave carried him further into the sea.”
While the parasail operators blamed lifeguards for that they called a “botched up” resuscitation operation, Drishti Lifesaving Pvt Ltd, the agency that operates lifeguard services on Goa’s beaches, maintained that the rescue operation was carried out professionally and by experienced hands.
CEO, Drishti Lifesaving Pvt Ltd, Ankit Somani told TOI : “There was no possibility of any compromise of the quality of first aid received by the victim. Our lifeguards have been involved in over 3,000 rescues and are the best trained, equipped and experienced. Beside they undergo refresher training sessions periodically.”
Every incident involving rescue operations is followed by an independent inquiry to ascertain that the task was carried out as per laid down techniques, Somani said, adding that the latest incident will also be probed by independent evaluators.
