MARGAO: The tourism department may have warned that they would impose fines on certain 'nuisance’ activities, but tourists visiting the beaches in coastal Salcete, including Benaulim and Colva, continue to be subject to the pestering of unauthorised hawkers as well as stray dogs.
Herald observed distressing numbers of stray dogs, who live in packs on the Colva and Benaulim beaches, scavenging food from shacks and dumpsters. Several migrant hawkers and beggars were also seen operating on the beaches, obstructing the movement of tourists and pestering them to buy their wares.
It is pertinent to note that recently, a four-year-old Russian child was bitten by a stray dog at Benaulim beach.
A few weeks ago, the Goa Tourism Department, in an attempt to improve the tourist experience in the State, had declared certain activities as a 'nuisance', including the selling of food and wares by hawkers and vendors from unauthorised kiosks and hand carts.
“The stray dog menace is not beyond control, and hence the authorities concerned need to come up with a plan to tackle it, so that tourists are safe from being attacked on the beaches,” said Peter Fernandes. Herald also noticed the stray dogs on the beaches are also fed by people, which causes their population to grow. Cruz Fernandes, a local from Benaulim said that he has often seen more stray dogs than tourists on the beaches of Benaulim.
“It is high time that the government takes humane measures to curb the stray dog population, and ensure that people feel safe on the beach. The police department should also see to it that illegal migrants, mostly the lamanis, are prevented from creating hardships and nuisance on the beaches,” he suggested. Being tourist season, citizens have also demanded that the police undertake regular patrolling on the beaches to crack the whip on illegal activities.