Tourists are Gods in Goa, locals doormats… - Soter

 Published as Lead Article in O Herald of January 23, 2023 

Every tourist season in Goa is more like the repetition of the ‘Arab and the camel’ story with the Goans deprived of a normal life in a festive season. Goa is now about drunken driving, traffic jams, criminals and unruly tourists in public places. Several calm and serene spots once used by local families for outings on weekends or for daily walks are out of bounds due to all sorts of tourism nuisance. While the beaches are snatched away by shacks, beach beds and water sports operators, the riverside footpaths and parking spaces in the capital city have been captured by casinos. What is even far worse is the physical and mental torture inflicted on Goans from various tourism events as a result of poor infrastructure, absence of monitoring and lack of law enforcement. Those residing in heritage zones and traditional houses have to stay behind closed doors and windows to secure themselves from the deafening noise or trespassers taking selfies at their doorstep or, even boozing in their balconies. Anyone protesting against this intrusion will be asked, “what is the issue?” A video doing the rounds shows tourists now demanding from the government to provide an alternate road for the locals in Parra, so that the existing ‘zindagi road’ can be used by tourists for clicking selfies and performing other stunts. What tourism is this wherein the locals are made prisoners in their own land as law and order get literally suspended to satisfy the greed of the industry and cater to the crass tastes of tourists irrespective of public inconvenience?

Given the quality of tourists being attracted to Goa’s model of booze, drugs, gambling and wild partying, the tagline ‘Atithi devo bhavo’ of the government and the tourism industry is nothing more than a license for the abuse and violence against the locals from rowdy tourists. If it is not criminal to expose the local residents day and night to a 90 decibels sound blast by entertainment events for tourists, then what is it? If bursting fire crackers at midnight in clubs and resorts to celebrate birthdays or anniversaries by disturbing the sleep of residents around is not anti-social, then what is it? If tourists boozing and smoking in public places, driving vehicles and throwing waste on the beaches, drunken brawls, and blowing car horns and howling on the streets at dead of night do not amount to public nuisance, then what is it? Disturbing the neighbourhood daily from dusk to dawn with electronically amplified sound, fireworks and howling at celebrations and parties has never been the Goan culture as claimed by those demanding the relaxation of the sound ban. 

The hell of unending abuse and violation of fundamental rights which Goans are made to put up with simply defies rational reasoning. When ministers and tourists as Gods in Goa, the common Goans are reduced to doormats by a government and tourism lobby only concerned with increasing tourist footfalls and multiplying taxes and profits. Interestingly, whether for those touting the model of mass tourism or alternative tourism, the ordinary citizens are not considered as stake holders and their right to the commons are simply taken for granted in the tourism debate. The so considered stakeholders in tourism claim an entitlement to dictate what is beneficial for Goa as if they are doing charity to Goans. What is even more insulting is the blatant lie that this tourism economy driven by vices of alcohol, drugs, gambling and prostitution can contribute to peace and economic prosperity of the State. Those once upon a time voicing concerns about the social and spiritual decay from tourism are now passive promoters of the very same unethical and immoral tourism, under a veil of promoting local livelihoods and sustainable tourism. They pretend not to see the larger social injustices and evils from tourism. 

With the tourism business now saturated in the coastal belt, the government continues putting the cart before the horse by launching new projects in the hinterland without the requisite infrastructure being in place. The peace and tranquillity in traditional villages around is now being destroyed by the menace of guest houses and homestays, which soon degenerate into partying places, drug dens and brothels, and disturb the entire neighbourhood day and night besides endangering security. Can such a vulgar tourism which looks for quantity ever attract quality tourists which Goa’s Tourism Minister is harping about? 

Tourism in Goa is no more about an experience of Goan culture and heritage. The tourism in Goa is overrun by a filthy desi model imposed by antisocial players who have a history of destroying many popular holiday destinations in the country. It's about politically blessed ‘vaddo’ dons dictating the rules of business on their turf. It is simply lawlessness and greed running a parallel economy under the guise of local livelihood. It’s all about a bizarre logic of fleecing the consumer to make the businesses profitable, amidst cut throat competition fuelled by indiscriminate issue of permits and licenses without assessing the actual requirements and affordability by various categories of consumers, all under a glorified excuse of generating State revenues and employment. Installing apps and CCTV cameras will not restore business ethics and morality in a tourism sector driven by such anti-social mentality. 

The fact that citizens have to get relief from courts against tourism evils, by sacrificing their productive time and personal finances, shows the collapse of democratic governance in the State. Given the deceptive political activism, one wonders whether the tears being shed over the diversion of Mhadei waters are out of concern for the future of Goans or, the survival of real estate and vulgar tourism.

(The author is a Social Activist)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/Tourists-are-Gods-in-Goa-locals-doormats%E2%80%A6/199920