Centre for Responsible Tourism, Goa

http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=13131

Addressing media at a press conference, Parsekar instead accused the Opposition of shooting themselves in the foot by disrupting question hour, time which usually allows the Opposition to corner the government.

“At first sight it appears that the money being spent is way higher than what was being spent earlier for the same work. Even I was under the impression that it was too much. However, now the scope of work too has expanded. They need to put dustbins every 100 meters, collection segregation, composting and scientific disposal of garbage needs to be done,” Parsekar said adding that only recently he has studied the issue because Parulekar was unwell.

“There are flaws, but they are from the department side. Where is the question of grading the lessee,” Parsekar asked.

“Despite everything, the beach cleanliness has greatly improved. It is a continuous process. Goan beaches have been named among several top beaches in the world as part of TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards both this year and last year. If they were not clean they would not have got the awards,” Parsekar said.

Asked to comment on the fact that directors of the companies that bagged the beach cleaning contract is the same person, Parsekar admitted that he first thought it was dubious, but since there was no such rule in the tender that the director of both the companies could not be the same, he found no problem with it.

Parsekar said that the Opposition was shooting itself in the foot by disallowing discussion during the question hour.

“I have been an MLA for ten years besides a minister for nearly five years now. Never have I seen the Opposition disrupt question hour. This is the time they get to corner the government. Even when we used to disrupt the House it used to be during the zero hour,” Parsekar said.

“There was no need for them to disrupt. The answers were all given in writing. If you think that there is something wrong, you should file a complaint. There was no need for Vijai to enter the Well of the House. He hadn’t asked the question nor was any answer denied to them,” Parsekar said accusing the Opposition of creating hype in a bid to cause an atmosphere of protest one year ahead of the elections.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Goa-CM-rules-out-inquiry-into-beach-cleaning-scam/articleshow/51403914.cms

Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar denied the allegation of a scam in beach cleaning and admitted that there is shortcoming in the implementation of the beach cleaning mechanism.

Parsekar met mediapersons following the ruckus in the assembly over the beach cleaning scam. Speaking to mediapersons at the assembly complex at Porvorim, Parsekar ruled out a government inquiry into the beach cleaning scam.

He also said that if the opposition finds anything wrong in the reply given in the house, then they are free to lodge a police complaint.

Parsekar said that he has given the entire file to the opposition, they could have studied, questioned and cornered the government, but they disrupted the house deliberately to create a hype and target the government on beach cleaning.

He also said that the government has made payment to both beach cleaning companies after deducting 40 percent of their actual payment. Government has hired two companies, one each in north and south Goa for beach cleaning at the amount of 14 crore. Parsekar said from September 2014 to July 2015, the state government has made a payment of around 9 crore to both the companies.

During the Congress government, the same beach cleaning contract was given to a local at an amount of 2 crore. Parsekar said that because of beach cleaning undertaken by the BJP government, the state’s beaches have been recognized by various travel groups and awards have been given.

He further stated that the government department has carried out around 603 inspections before releasing the payment.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/SOWS-vents-ire-at-ex-MLA-of-Calangute/articleshow/51389093.cms

The shack owners welfare society (SOWS) on Saturday strongly objected to a statement made by ex-Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes against the construction of public pay toilets and changing rooms at Candolim.

Speaking to TOI, the society’s secretary, John Lobo, said, “The statement that public toilets will result in cheap tourists coming to Canadolim and ruining the up-market image of the beach is absurd and uncalled-for. The fact is that all types of tourists patronize the existing facilities at Baga and Calangute. Public toilets are a basic necessity and should be built at all spots that are visited by a large number of tourists, specially on all the beaches in Goa.”

ToI had recently reported that tourism stake-holders in Candolim at a recent gram sabha had raised the issue of the proposed public toilets-changing rooms at Candolim which have not been built despite the foundation stone having been laid two years ago. Following this former MLA Agnelo Fernandes, talking to ToI, said that many tourism stakeholders are against building those toilets in Candolim as it would result in cheap tourists visiting the area