MARGAO
As a storm hit the vacationer village of Cavelossim after the Tourism Department launched Goa Electronics Ltd (GEL) to digitalise the water sports activities queue system with pre-determined charges, water sports activities operators from your complete coastal belt joined arms in unison, questioning what GEL has received to do with the enterprise of water sports activities run by the normal fishermen.

Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz additionally rallied behind the beleaguered water sports activities operators and received the Tourism officers to take away and raise away the makeshift counter erected on the Cavelossim seaside to man the queue system.

The water sports activities operators made it clear to the Tourism officers led by a Deputy Director that they adhere to the High Court instructions to keep up a queue system. They, nonetheless, charged the Tourism Department for bringing in GEL to overcharge the purchasers patronising the water sports activities enterprise.

The water sports activities operators questioned why GEL ought to cost more money from the water sports activities enterprise when the enterprise has been promoted by the native fishermen by way of their sweat and blood and personal funding.

Trouble started when the Tourism officers moved in on the Cavelossim seaside with GEL and erected a makeshift tent with computer systems and a price chart for the water sports activities actions, triggering big protests from the native water sports activities operators.

As heated discussions ensued between the Tourism officers and water sports activities operators, the operators demanded to know whether or not the High Court has issued any instructions to interact GEL in sustaining the queue system. “Why do we require GEL to run a queue system when we have invested our own money, we canvass for business and engage our own manpower to run the water sports,” questioned Colva-based water sports activities operator John Fernandes.

When the tourism official sought to defend GEL’s involvement by saying the Court has issued instructions to keep up queue system for water sports activities operators, John level clean questioned whether or not the Court has directed division to interact GEL in sustaining the queue system, saying the Court has not referred to as for disbanding the guide queue system.

President of South Goa Water Sports Association Domingo Rodrigues questioned why GEL has requested the water sports activities operators to submit their financial institution particulars and GST fee, saying GEL has nothing to do with the taxation concern. He charged the Tourism division for attempting to introduce GEL with the only real goal to herald Delhi folks into the water sports activities enterprise run by the Goan fishermen.

He additionally took exception to the disruption of the water sports activities enterprise at Cavelossim seaside by the Tourism officers over the past two days, reminding {that a} single day lack of enterprise would trigger big losses to the operators. “We water sports operators charge Rs 1000 for para-sailing, but GEL has come out with its own rate at Rs 1240. Why should the tourists pay extra for the same facility which we have been providing all along,” Domingo added.

Cavelossim-based water sports activities operator Roy Barretto stated that authorities’s choice to herald GEL would spell doom for the water sports activities enterprise. “GEL has come out with rates, which are more than what the operators are charging. Secondly, the water sports operators give discounts to customers, which come in groups. How would we adjust if GEL is in the picture and want customers to pay pre-determined rates,” Roy questioned.