Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Cumbarjua MLA Rajesh Faldessai called on state tourism minister Rohan Khaunte to complete the beautification of Old Goa and surrounding areas well before the commencement of the Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier that are scheduled to be held in Goa next year.
Speaking during the demands for grants for the tourism department, Faldessai pointed out how the Old Goa Heritage Complex receives around 15,000 tourists a day and nearly five lakh tourists a year, who, unfortunately, have no facilities at the site.
“Around 10-15,000 tourists come to visit the Old Goa Churches which are a world heritage site and for the feast around 3-lakh people come. So throughout the year at least 5-lakh people visit the sites. So many tourists come and there are no proper facilities and no parking. Tourism has a parking place. It should be handed over to the panchayat and we can use it to generate revenue. If we have to pay some money to the tourism department we can do that, but give us the land,” he said.
“Beautification is extremely important. We have received 41.49 crore under the PRASHAD scheme. It is my request that two months before the 2024 exposition, it should be readied,” he said.
The MLA also called on the tourism department to exploit the tourism potential of his constituency, 50% of which is said to comprise islands that offered ample opportunities to explore tourism.
“50% of my constituency is in the Islands. I have written to the Tourism Minister and also moved a note. Divar church has a beautiful open space and if we beautify it, it will be very beautiful because from there the Atal Setu and the sea view looks very fine. Eco tourism can be promoted in the islands. We have a lot of land, we also have the Carambolim lake which is very beautiful,” he said.
Faldessai also called on the tourism department to explore the tourism potential of festivals like Bonderam — the two Bonderam that are held in the two villages of the Divar Island and the Sangodd that is held on Cumbarjua island that is held and draws a crowd of nearly 25,000 people when it is held.
