Construction of restrooms at Candolim beach begins

Posted on April 14, 2017 by crtgoa9020

This is a gross CRZ violation….Just because the government is constructing the rooms it doesn’t allow them to ignore the CRZ norms. Doesn’t Michael lobo know that even the plinth cannot be constructed ?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/construction-of-restrooms-at-candolim-beach-begins/articleshow/58172908.cms

Almost two decades after they were first proposed and three years after chief minister Manohar Parrikar laid the foundation stone for the construction of changing rooms and restrooms at Candolim beach, work on the project finally commenced recently.

“With the current BJP-led coalition government focussing on creating better infrastructure, work has now started on the facility,” deputy speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said. The facility, being built at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore, will be ready in four months. As the area falls in the no-development zone close to the beach, the facility, except for the plinth, will be built without using concrete.

Plans are afoot to construct more such facilities near the Sinquerim jetty which also witnesses high tourist footfall on a daily basis.

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Goa Suraksha Manch slams Sardesai over music demand

Posted on April 14, 2017 by crtgoa9020

So much for Vijay’s Goenkarponn!!!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/gsm-slams-sardesai-over-music-demand/articleshow/58172963.cms

Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) has condemned the demand of town and coutnry planning miniser Vijai Sardesai over extending the time for playing loud music for beach weddings and other parties till mid night in Goa.

 “Sardesai should remember that Goa should remain primarily a peaceful home for ‘Goenkars’ and not a place where they suffer sleepless nights,” said Anand Shirodkar, president, GSM, in a press release. Sardesai has reportedly raised this demand at a meeting of National Democratic Alliance in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Tourists come to enjoy Goa’s natural beauty. Former CM Laxmikant Parsekar did not allow Sunburn and other EDM festivals in Goa in 2016. The tourist inflow has only increased by 20% in 2016 as compared to that of 2015,” said Shirodkar.

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Russia @ just over ` 1 lakh; Goans love this package

Posted on April 13, 2017 by crtgoa9020

A distant dream for the middle class families!

http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=31973

Moreover, if people choose to travel in groups of 30-40 tourists, then a trip to Russia can be conducted at a very affordable price.
A source from Thomas Cook said, “We have groups of tourists going from Goa to Russia in May, June and July. For a 5 night and 6 days trip to Moscow and St Petersburg, which includes travel from Mumbai and back, stay in a 3-star hotel, visa fees, medical insurance, sight-seeing, breakfast and dinner, we charge around Rs 1,10,000 per person.”
The source further confirmed that such groups can have 30, 35 or even 40 tourists. Large number of tourists brings economies of scale and huge volumes, which help travel companies in bringing the price down. Typically, on such trips, dinner offered is Indian, which also helps in keeping the cost down.
Sheikh Ismail, general manager, Concord Travels & Tours, said, “We also organise trips for groups of tourists from Goa to Russia. For a 3 night stay at Moscow and further 3 nights at St Petersburg, we charge Rs 25,500 per person for accommodation in a 3-star hotel, which also includes breakfast.”
He continued, “If you include air-fare and sight-seeing also to it, then it should come to Rs 90,000 per person for 6 nights in Russia. If we manage to get seats on an Air Arabia flight, which starts from Goa itself, then the tourists will
 
HERE’S WHAT 
THEY OFFER
THOMAS COOK
 5-night and 6-day trip to Moscow and St Petersburg from Mumbai and back
PRICE:
 Rs 1,10,000 per person 
INCLUDES:
 Stay in 3-star hotel
 Visa fees
 Medical insurance
 Sight-seeing
 Breakfast & dinner
CONCORD TRAVELS 
& TOURS
 Rs 90,000 per person for 6 nights in a 3-star hotel

– See more at: http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=31973#sthash.5RU0LiQv.dpuf

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Amendment likely to Tourist Trade Act

Posted on April 13, 2017 by crtgoa9020

We hope the amendment will be used not to target the small players on the beaches but all players who illegally vend on the beaches.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/amendment-likely-to-tourist-trade-act/articleshow/58155388.cms

In a bid to facilitate action against illegal vendors doing business on beaches, tourism minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar, on Tuesday, said he has directed his department to begin work on a proposal to suitably amend the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act and Rules.

 Currently, the provision under the Tourist Trade Act is limited to attaching goods and imposing a penalty. Section 25A of the Act empowers officials authorized by the government to confiscate goods, articles or any other material sold by a person in any tourist area sans a licence or permission.
The competent authority, a tourist officer, is empowered to return confiscated goods, but only on payment of a Rs 10,000 in fines, which may be extended to Rs 25,000. The items attached are auctioned if no person claims them.
“I want strong action be taken against all hawkers irrespective of whether they are lamanis or other vendors,” Azgaonkar said.

 

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Those into prostitution, drugs are not Goans’

Posted on April 12, 2017 by crtgoa9020

Whether Goan or not… Mr Lobo, the consumers are Goan Youth and not just in the coastal villages…but deep in the hinterlands. Just by saying that the ones involved in the drug and flesh trade are not Goan doesn’t help the case.

http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=31941

Insisting that those involved in drugs and prostitution rackets in Calangute are outsiders and not Goans, Deputy Speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said he supports the police crackdown on these illegal activities.

 Asked to comment on frequent drugs and prostitution cases in Calangute and other parts of North Goa, Lobo said: “It will be wrong to say that Calangute has become a hub for drugs and prostitution activities, as those involved in such activities are not Goans.”   
“If I have any information of such activities taking place in my area, I immediately get in touch with the DGP, SP and Calangute police and inform them about such illegalities. If other MLAs also have such kind of information, they should co-operate with the police and help curb such activities,” Lobo told The Goan.   
“For last five years as MLA, I raised my voice against prostitution. For some time there was no action from the police, but now I am satisfied the police is back on their toes.”

 

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‘Allow music till midnight to preserve Goa’s identity’

Posted on April 12, 2017 by crtgoa9020

The great sale of Goa is happening at the hands of the new TCP minister. He thinks the public are fools to believe his statements about Goan culture and heritage!

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/allow-music-till-midnight-to-preserve-goas-identity/articleshow/58136356.cms

 

With a view to keeping Goa’s pre-eminence as the wedding destination and to allow local weddings go on uninterrupted, town and country planning minister Vijai Sardesai has made a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow music to be played till midnight. Currently, the relaxation to play music beyond 10pm is only for 15 days and Sardesai has made a plea with Modi to step in to relax it at least for six months.

“We have requested that at least six-month relaxation should be given to the state as compared to the existing 15 days,” Sardesai told TOI from Delhi after meeting Modi, post-NDA meet.

The Goa Forward Party chief said he also explained to Modi the distinct cultural identity of Goa and how destination and local weddings were getting impacted due to restrictions on music. He said if Goa had to preserve its identity and continue its position as the most-favoured destination for weddings, there was a need to relax playing of music till midnight.

With permission for beach weddings getting stringent, Goa’s sea and sand may slowly be out of bounds for wedding planners.

Under the environment protection act, the Centre can establish authorities with a mandate to prevent environmental protection in all its forms. The 2011 coastal regulation zone notification and at least two high court orders have mandated that any temporary structure on the beach needs to have GCZMA permission. The GCZMA’s general guidelines that gave tourism department a free hand in allowing beach weddings were withdrawn in 2014.

Sardesai said the Centre has to bring an amendment to the act so that it empowers the state to frame rules under the environment protection act. Sardesai, an ally of BJP, met Modi along with another partner, MGP’s Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar.

Sardesai also raised the issue of nationalization of Goa’s rivers at the NDA meeting and he also met union minister Nitin Gadkari over the issue. Sardesai said he told Modi that people of the state, especially traditional fishermen’s community, have reservation about the nationalization of rivers and fear that it might take away the jurisdiction of the state government over the rivers.
“I have told Modi that power to give permissions should continue with the state government,” he said. Goa Forward Party had raised the issue of river nationalization in the run up to the assembly election.

On the recent Supreme Court order on ban on sale of liquor shops on national and state highways, Sardesai told the Prime Minister that it would destroy tourism in the state and sough central government intervention in the matter. “Modi has noted down my request,” he added.

Goa’s aim to promote the state as a preferred wedding destination has come for some strain due to restrictions on partying, with strict rules for music to go silent at 10 pm. The impact has been felt locally, too, with Goan weddings having to turn off their sound systems post-10 pm.

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