The baffling (insufficient) economics of Beach cleaning in Goa.
Tourism Department spends less than 5% of its total annual budget on cleaning and maintenance of beaches in Goa, which are the face of state's identity and tourism. Breakdown here of Ops economics.
The Tourism department of Goa has floated a new tender for Beach Cleaning and Garbage disposal on 24th August 2024, for 37 beaches spread across Goa, North and South.
The tender is for a tenure of 5 Years, with annual spend of Rs.9.27 Crores.
The last service provider was Karnataka Commercial and Industrial Corporation (KCIC), whose term expired in 2023; but since, Tourism Department of the state could not find a suitable candidate, their term was extended and under pressure from all quarters, it was finally decided to call for a new tender.
If you visit KCIC website, they are surely a "Facility Management Services Provider" and have big names under their belt, advertised on their website, Goa Tourism Department, is not one of them.
This is when, ironically, it would have brought them, most accolades and free publicity, if the job on beaches of Goa would have been done well.
Usually, the cleaning services and facilities management companies would vie for such a job, and would wear the badge with pride on their sleeves.
So why does the KCIC does not do it?
Let's see the economics of the Beach Cleaning business of Goa.
The tender floated by the Tourism Department of Goa, is priced at Rs.9.27 Crores approximately, for cleaning and garbage disposal, for 37 beaches.
It works out to Rs.25 Lac per annum, on an average for a beach roughly. Which amounts to Rs.2 Lac per month for each beach.
Let's suppose a squad of 8 (6 regular and 2 reserves) receiving Rs.10,000/- each for their monthly services (including taxes). That amounts to Rs.80,000/-.
Now, let's have one Supervisor for every beach to be paid Rs.15,000/- per month; and total for the beach wrt manpower reaches Rs.95,000/- per month.
Let's add Rs.5,000/- as expenses for brooms, baskets etc and it comes to Rs.1 Lac.
So, still, Rs.1 Lac is left.
Let's subtract Rs.60,000/- as beach cleaning companies gross profit for the month from each beach, about 30% of the monthly spend on cleaning a beach; the total amounts to Rs.1,60,000/- per month.
This still leaves, Rs.40,000/- for garbage disposal in a month, through transport for every beach. Which is more than enough, when garbage is carted out, every alternate day, at the peak of season.
Now, there is a curious turn to economics of all this. The GST on Cleaning Services is 18%. So now, do the Math.
One 1-Ton vehicle employed for a day, can easily cart off wastes from at least 2 beaches to Saligao or the designated dumping point, if they are full, which is usually the case in peak 5 months of Tourist season.
However, the task of cleaning the beach by the concerned agency should include, only the trash which comes from Tourists and Sea.
The trash and garbage which comes from the innumerable illegal shacks (Goa has only 359 Official Shacks from North to South, and rest are illegal) is the responsibility of the local Panchayat or the Beach Cleaning Company, it's not yet known.
For that matter, the alacrity of the Garbage Committees of the local village Panchayat in collecting and disposing garbage, is a folklore in almost all coastal and touristic villages of Goa.
The illegal shack operators at beaches in North Goa, pile up their garbage in garbage bags, both wet and dry and either dump them in the dustbins (which are now absent for a year and there was a scandal regarding them, which you can query on a search engine) or place it aside the garbage collected by the beach cleaning team.
The vehicle which comes for picking up the trash has no other option but to, pick up everything from the beach, even though, it might not be their responsibility. Roaming cattles on the beach with impunity, rummage through the packed garbage and many a times even spill the dustbins.
While the Tourism Department of Goa under the very able leadership of Shri Rohan Gaunte, spends Crores of rupees in foreign jaunts of his team at the alibi of learning best practices, attending Tourism enclaves, and organising Festivals a gazillions, through the year; it allocates just Rs.9.27 Crores for cleaning of the beaches.
https://www.gomantaktimes.com/news/goa/goas-tourism-department-wants-to-tap-the-potential-of-festivals
The last FY Budget allocation for the Tourism Department of Goa was Rs.262 Crores.
https://travel.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/destination/states/goa-government-focuses-on-resumption-of-mining-boosting-tourism-in-budget/99129498
So, out of a Budget Allocation of Rs.262 Crores ( last year) yearly; the Tourism Department of Goa spends less than 5% of its Budget on cleaning and garbage disposal; which is the most "in face" quality parameter for attracting high quality tourists in the state.
Subtract Rs.9.27 Crores from Rs.262 Crores and you are left bewildering, what does the Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and his beloved Secretary of Tourism does with balance amount of money and what is the efficacy of attracting tourists to the state?
Last year, The Tourism Minister spent Rs.2 Crores on a billboard advertisement at Times Square in New York, during the Prime Minister's visit to US.
While the author tried to figure out how many of US Citizens (including the Indian diaspora, who welcomed Modi with all fervour) decided to visit Goa, after seeing the advert, it is unfathomable.
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Sardesai-takes-on-Tourism-Minister-Khaunte-for-spending-Rs-2-cr-on-a-Goa-billboard-at-Times-Square-New-York/223940
If you have been to beaches of Goa, the tragedy is self evident. The beaches are not only for Tourists, but for residents of the state and also the fishermen.
Just recently, the Fishermen of Caranzalem, spent altogether Rs.2 Lac to clean the beach from the driftwood debris, in order to resume fishing.
Along other beaches in North Goa, the Fishermen themselves clean the beach of debris, as the fishing season resumes, individually. Everyone cleans the beachhead in front of their Boat Stations.
Driftwood comes floating at every beach if Goa, in varying amounts.
More so on beaches where various river mouths are located. Miramar which is the masthead of all beaches in Goa, situated right in the heart of the capital city of Panjim, was flooded with driftwood and other debris, and even then was not cleaned, though Tourists keep thronging it, all through the year. (Update, it has not been cleaned of debris for at least 4 past weeks).
With Long Weekends and Parties henceforth even during the Monsoon season, the Tourists don't stop visiting. But, what is the spectacle they get?
With the amount of sanctioned budget for beach cleaning and it's economics explained earlier, it is not at all feasible for the Beach Cleaning Contractor to deploy heavy machinery, large trucks and clean the beaches regularly during Monsoon.
From its, Rs.262 Crores of yearly budget, Rohan Khaunte could not even manage the upkeep of Gazebos at Miramar; which now looks like straight from the Deendayal Upadhyaya era.
Penny wise and Pound foolish is an age old adage.
Also, is the fact, that "Common Sense" is highly uncommon, specially when you are talking about the Ministers of Goa.
When the Tourism Department has been advocating for more and more tourists coming to Goa,from across the globe; has the Beach Cleaning budget and sincere efforts towards it has also kept a pace, is something which is very evident.
When beaches are face of Goa, how rational is to spend just 5% of the tourism budget on cleaning them?