ANJUNA CLIFF CRUMBLING INTO THE SEA: Once the cradle of tourism n Goa, Anjuna is now literally falling part. The magnificent cliff with a commanding view of the sea is slowly but surely, falling victim to the powerful waves that lash its face during the monsoons. Menino Fernandes, who owns the Victor Guest House at St Anthony Praias Vaddo, has been watching the cliff being eroded over the past decade. Standing in front of the guesthouse, which overlooks the cliff, Fernandes points to a rock jutting out of the sea, 50 metres away from the cliff base, saying, "That is where the cliff was years ago. Look where it is now." "I live in fear, my family lives in fear and my guests live in fear," he adds as three young tourists point to the crack while walking by. "If the government can spend so many crores on the film festival can they not spare Rs.3.5 crore to ensure that we can live safely?" (Reuven Proenca in GT) ==================================
The erosion along Anjuna beach has been documented at length both in the press and by written appeals to the the Anjuna Panchayat, the Anjuna Police and to the Chief Minister. The main and primary cause for this erosion is the illegal beach sand extraction that continues to take place - now using trucks. An Anjuna panchyat member confided in me that they are powerless to do anything as the sand extractors line the Minister's pockets.
It appears that no one in a position of power is interested in protecting the beach and that Anjuna beach is now considered a "dispensible beach".
If the villagers of Anjuna are interested in preserving their beach and coast line they must mobilize themselves and stop the these people from taking sand from the beach. No one else will do it for them. As long as they take a susegaad approach to this destruction, in a few years the beach will be de-nuded of its sand cover. Tourists will stop coming to this area. And who will be be the people who will suffer most? The Anjuncars, of course.
Tim de Mello [EMAIL PROTECTED] CANADA
_________________________________________________________________
Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN Premium http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-ca&page=byoa/prem&xAPID=1994&DI=1034&SU=http://hotmail.com/enca&HL=Market_MSNIS_Taglines
##########################################################################
# Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts #
# More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others #
##########################################################################
