Panaji: Goa's unbridledtourism is having an adverse impact on the state's environment and society,says a study sponsored by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

 

Undertaken by the Goa Institute of Management here, thestudy says the large-scale growth of tourism is leading to increased pressure"on both society and the environment". 

"Preserving the national heritage and reducingenvironmental degradation have become crucial issues for concern. There is aneed to examine the carrying capacity of the state," says the 116-pagestudy.

The research analyses Goa'sagriculture, mining, growing pharma sector, small and medium enterprise (SME)sector and controversial plans for promoting special economic zones (SEZs).

It notes that Goa's economyis 'confronted 'by a solid waste management problem and that itdesperately needs an efficient public transport system.

 

"Enough effort has not been made to ensure proper solidwaste management. Again, absence of efficient public transport has increasedthe growth of motorbikes and cars substantially. This in turn has aggravatedenvironmental pollution."

 

It also points to the migration of unskilled labour fromneighbouring states "on account of the non-availability of unskilledworkers" in Goa.

 

Other issues it emphasizes include disputes over land usebetween small entrepreneurs and large corporates, dependence on other statesfor agricultural produce consumed in Goa,failure to ensure uninterrupted power and the need for improving the qualityand quantity of water supply.

 

The research says that a "'strong positive co-relation'does not seem to exist between tourism growth and employment of locals,especially in the hotel industry. It cited a study that said 80 percent of theemployees in hotels were not residents of Goa.

 

"This can be partly on account of high wage ratesprevailing in Goa as compared to otherunder-developed states and therefore managers prefer to hire workers from otherstates," says the study.

 

It highlights that private transport in Goais highly expensive in the absence of adequate public transport and taxioperators were working in 'monopoly power'.

 

"Growth of tourism might have also adversely affectedthe poor and downtrodden, especially during peak season when prices usually goup. A proper assessment needs to be done," the study states.

 

It blames the tourism sector for becoming a breeding groundof touts and commission agents, which hikes up hotel tariffs and transportcosts. There is also an absence of a proper regulatory mechanism to check theprice rise.

 

"Wide disparity in prices charged during the peak andoff-peak season for various services and between the private and publicauthority needs to be examined. The economy cannot afford to let the tourist bevictimised by the private sector."

 

The study notes that Goalacks budget hotels. Goa's tourism departmentprovides "around 600 beds per day at an affordable price" but this isinsufficient, especially during peak season.

 

It also points a finger at the state government, which itsays has played a limited role in promoting tourism.

 

According to the researchers, the government has notparticipated actively in promoting tourism apart from officially representingthe state at a few fairs abroad.