------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ JGF observes World Tourism Protest Day, activists to intensify campaign. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- At a dharna held at Margao, activists observed 27th September as World Tourism Protest Day and reaffirmed their resolve to work on tourism issues under the banner of Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fouz (JGF) to protect Goa from the onslaught of Modern Mass Tourism (MMT) and attempts of the Central Govt. to convert Goa into a Up market Tourism Enclave on the west coast of India.
The activists expressed concern at the lack of a Carrying Capacity Study by the Goa Govt. and increased tourist arrivals of over 25 lakhs annually bringing pressure on the existing infrastructure which is unable to cater to the 14 lakh population of the State. The activists who participated in the dharna also resolved to intensify the struggle against Indian Big Business and Multi National Hotel & Tourism Companies who attempt to privatize the beach and grab private & communidade lands in the name of public purpose by taking undue advantage of the Land Acquisition Act. JGF will campaign against the strong arm tactics used by real estate developers and builders to dismantle local families along the coast who are involved in traditional occupations of fishing, toddy tapping, farming and the beach shacks. JGF will also launch a special campaign against mega housing projects, group housing & gated communities, rent back duplex homes for the luxury tourists that are being constructed in the coastal villages and the hinterland of the State. JGF will undertake a scrutiny of the Draft Regional Plan 2021 to identify the areas that will allow for Golf Courses, Disneyland, more five star Hotels and a Japanese Holiday Village near proposed Mopa International Airport. The other resolutions passed at the dharna were JGF to launch an intensive awareness drive among the coastal villagers on their traditional rights, the dangers of the proposed Central Govt. notification on Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) and the planned take over & leasing of water spaces in the River Zuari and River Sal by the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). JGF will highlight the dangers of the proposed war games between US Naval forces and Indian Navy off the Goa coast from 15th to 24th October, the problems of military tourism and the socio - cultural damage caused by the Rest and Recreation ( R & R) naval bases in South East Asia. JGF will vigourously campaign against the conversion of Goa into a Las Vegas of India with the increased licences to onshore & offshore casinos by the Goa Govt. with the encouragement of the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. JGF will campaign against the growth of narco tourism in the State by creating awareness on the dangers of drug abuse & rave beach parties along the coast. JGF will also resist the spread of sex tourism, illegal massage parlours & escorts services, pornographic blogs & websites on Goa tourism, child prostitution & pedophilia and human trafficking. ----------------------------------------------------- Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fouz (JGF) [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----------------------------------------------------
