Allow locals to run Dudhsagar jeep trips, Ferreira urges govt.
Panaji: Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira has said that locals should be permitted to operate the jeep trip business at Dudhsagar and not Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) nor the Tourism Department.
While the business officially starts on October 2 every year, there has been a deadlock between the operators and the government over the management of the business. The operators have been demanding that the GTDC counter at Collem should be removed and the Association’s website ownership that was taken by the government should be handed back to them.
On Saturday, the jeep trips resumed by one section of the operators under heavy police protection, Ferreira said.
“This controversy shows the failure of the BJP government. Why is the government interfering in a business run by Goans? The Tourism Department is out to kill the golden goose that lays the golden egg. If the government wants to regulate the business and bring discipline, then they should do it by discussing the issue with the local operators,” he said.
He also said that if the government intends to step in the jeep trip business, then it will have to conduct auctions.
“When the government does this, they will hand over the contract to their cronies and friends, and the local operators will be excluded from the business. Because of such things, the Goan tourism industry earns a bad reputation. We are seeing that tourists are gradually shunning Goa and exploring other destinations which are peaceful and affordable,” he said.
Ferreira appealed to the Chief Minister to resolve the matter. He also said that questions are being raised over corruption by the Tourism Department officials by a BJP Sarpanch.
“I urge the CM, who is the Home Minister, not to allow Goa to earn a bad name. Even the BJP sarpanch of Calangute Joseph Sequeira has accused the Tourism Department of corruption, and has called for a vigilance probe. Our locals in the tourism business are bearing the brunt,” he said.
