Its very easy to blame migrants as they are the easiest targets for all the problems we face. Why not blame the corrupt government that puts money before people. Rampant unplanned industries on the verna plateau have been one of the main causes of this dying spring.
Small-time drug peddlers prey mostly on the first-time users, said a source. Such cases remain under wraps for obvious reasons, but, now even the police acknowledge the presence of peddlers who trade in substandard staff with their target being the Indian tourists.
Many in the know of how the illicit trade is being conducted, say drug peddlers go after the ‘desi’ tourists who have probably come to Goa to enjoy themselves for the first time.
If a person is a first-time user, he or she is an easy target, said sources.
A drug addict, who doubles up as a peddler, as and when the need arises, said he and some like him, mostly the addicts, resort to adulteration if they are running short of money. The mixture is sold to Indian tourists, he said.
He said unlike the hardcore peddlers, the addicts who peddle such mixtures do it not for profit, but to help themselves to meet their needs.
So how does he operate? “Make the first move. Spot a susceptible group of young Indian men on the beach or outside any nightclub behaving as if they have been let loose for the first time in life. You tell them you have the stuff they are looking for.”
“You take the money and pass on any powder, chalk power or talcum included. Indian tourists are the most gullible. By the time they realize they have been cheated it’s too late. They can’t go to the police,” he pointed out with a relish.
SP, Anti-Narcotic Cell (ANC), Karthik Kashyap confirmed about Indian tourists getting tricked in their attempt to buy drugs.
In fact, the ANC itself in a few cases of drug seizures, has got fooled. The seizure, we made, turned out to be some other stuff, he said.
A shack operator, who has been running the business for the last decade, says the most dangerous thing in this is adulteration of party drugs or synthetic drugs which hardcore drugs peddlers resort to enhance their profitability
One may feel that the adulterated drug just deprives the user of a chance of getting a high, but what people don’t realize is that it can also prove fatal.
Goa’s beaches will soon been equipped with free public WiFi, CCTV coverage as well as public amenities such as the restroom blocks equipped with lockers, changing room and showers with funds from the central government’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
Aguada Jail too is in for a makeover and a fresh look with the government setting aside ₹34 crore for the project.
Announcing this at a press conference, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said Goa has received approval for its proposal of the ₹99.98 crore under the Central Government’s Swades Darshan Scheme for developing a coastal circuit.
“Goa was the first among seven States to be considered for funding under the Swades Darshan Scheme by the Centre sanctioning and monitoring committee at a meeting held on March 18,” Parulekar announced.
The State through the Goa Tourism Development Corporation had sent detailed proposals for its tourism circuits the first of which has received a final approval.
“The project components also include providing infrastructure at various coastal areas in the State like tourist information centers at Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Morjim and Ashwem, public amenities at 10 beaches (37 blocks), providing CCTVs and WiFi, safety and security measures and providing tourism signages,” Parulekar said.
Another major component includes development of Aguada Fort and Jail as a major tourist destination. It will include upgradation and improvement of the Aguada helipad, Aguada Fort and Aguada Jail, parking, ticketing and bus facilities at Aguada Fort, illumination, seating arrangements, café etc.
The government has set aside ₹34-crore for the development of Aguada fort and jail besides ₹3.60 crore for CCTV and WiFi and ₹16.13 crore for public amenities like toilets and changing rooms.
Besides this the funds will be spent on developing facilities like parking, illumination and providing handicap friendly access along the circuit route, which includes the Bardez and Pernem coast ranging from the parking lot to the beach at Calangute, beautification of the Calangute market circle and taxi stand, construction of a parking lot near the annex building for buses and two-wheelers near Calangute Residency, illumination of the stretch from Calangute to Baga, construction of parking lot near the beach, a garden on Department of Tourism land at Candolim and development of tourism property at Anjuna.
In Pernem, the projects include providing handicap friendly access and illumination across the creek at Junas waddo beach and Mandrem beach, development of Morjim Khind and development of Ashwem beach.
South Goa will be provided for when future circuits receive sanction.
Besides this, Tourist Information Centres and Tourism Signages will be set up at the estimated cost of ₹5-crore while the solid waste management will come at a cost of ₹3-crore.
The Swades Darshan scheme is envisaged under the Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of the Ministry of Tourism with the aim to fund projects that fall under the gamut of touristic potential due to its history, heritage, cultural importance as well as innovation.
– See more at: http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=14296#sthash.wMfGDNpL.dpuf
http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=19712&boxid=142318368&uid=&dat=4/2/2016
CZMP