ANTI-LOCAL THERE are pubs in the North Goa beach belt which are run by Brits for Brits. Even some of the shacks on both the North and South Goa coastal belt are openly hostile not only to locals but even domestic tourists. On the odd occasion when I have approached a beach shack for renting a beach bed and an umbrella, I have been rudely told that they are only for phirangs or that they have been reserved. Many beach shacks treat locals and domestic tourists like untouchables. But it is not only the phirangs including the Russians and the Israelis and the British and the Germans who have colonized Goa . As phirang friends of mine point out, Goa has been invaded in a much bigger fashion by the bold and the beautiful and the rich and the powerful from Delhi and Mumbai and other parts of the country who are steadily pushing up the prices of real estate out of the reach of locals. All the fancy apartments and the villas advertised on the internet and at exclusive Goa property exhibitions held by the Times of India and other organizations have prices often quoted in dollars and pounds. Presumably because the real estate sharks who have taken over Goa know that Goans cannot afford to buy property any longer.
In the last few years, a lot of new real estate has come up in Goa - premium properties which offer goodies like 24-hour power generation backup, a swimming pool, a fitness centre and video telephone for security. Many of the new projects like the one being constructed by the Geras in Caranzalem also promise rooftop gardens. While attempting to do some futile flat hunting - since it is absurd to even look for a flat in Panjim with less than a crore of rupees, I discovered that less than 30% of the flats in all the fancy new buildings are occupied. The flats have either been bought by outsiders or bought purely for speculative offices in the hope or the confidence that real estate prices will go up even further. PARADISE PIE EVERYONE wants a piece of the paradise that Goa is perceived to be. The phirangs do not mind the fancy prices in the shacks or the fancy prices of real estate because, in foreign exchange terms and compared to prices of property back home or in any other beach resort in the world, the prices of real estate or of food or drink in Goa is much cheaper. The Mumbaikar does not mind the high prices of property in Goa because even in the distant suburb of Virar in Mumbai or in Thane, the prices of property range between Rs. 60,000 and Rs. One lakh per square foot against Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 1.5 lakhs per sq m in Goa . So much so, it makes sense for those who have property in up market or even in down market areas in the metros to sell their property and relocate to Goa and live on the difference between the money they got for selling their property in Goa and the money they paid for their property purchased in Goa . For those who are faced with the prospect of paying thousands of rupees for square feet and square centimetres, Goa is a very attractive proposition whether for a second holiday home or just as an investment. And the fact that Goan hotels have kept hiking their prices to ridiculous levels makes it even more attractive to own a holiday home in Goa . Goa has been totally colonized. The beaches have been colonized. The premium real estate has been colonized by land sharks from Russia and the UK and Germany and Dubai and of course our own home grown land sharks like the Rahejas. Goan jobs, particularly jobs in the hospitality industry have been colonized by young people from Nagaland courtesy the Governor and his OSD and for people from Jharkand courtesy the Pilar society and people from Orissa courtesy all those who run security agencies and people from Gorakhpur who dominate the carpentry business in Goa . A time will come when there will be no Goans in Goa . All you Goans please wake up quick [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
