Lamanis back for the season at Palolem beach

by Ashokkumar Desai
Posted on 2008-08-27
CANACONA- Although the start of the tourist season is still around a month away, Lamanis have already made their descent on the Palolem beach and in fact, a group of around thirty Lamanis have already set up base on the beach. Some of the locals allege that this tribe are involved in anti-social activities, while there are many harassment complaints from tourists.Lamanis coming down to Goa for trade is not a new phenomenon. They have been frequenting various places in the state, especially the entire coastal belt and localities frequented by tourists, setting up their small businesses of selling natural and artificial fancy ornaments, handmade textile goods and other merchandise.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times,’ some of the Lamanis from Ahmedabad, who have reached here by train said that they have no work or livelihood in their own state and have to face the prospect of poverty. As a solution and in search of livelihood they come to Goa before the commencement of the tourist season in order to set up shops and hopefully attract business from tourists who come to Goa.
Besides selling special merchandise, many of the members of this community work in shacks and tents as waiters and others carry out their commercial activities on Goan beaches.
According to Mr Rangnath Naik Gaonkar, chairperson of the Canacona municipal council, there is a section of more than 150 Lamanis settled at different parts by the shore, which he alleged was with the help of some anti-social elements.
In the last tourist season, the Canacona police booked many of the Lamanis at Palolem beach under Tourist Trade Act 1982 for harassing foreign tourists to buy their products.
Mr C P N Desai, assistant sub-inspector at Canacona police station said that numerous complaints were received last year against the Lamanis and informed that a number of Lamanis were arrested and later released on conditional bail.
Mr Jovi Fernandes, sarpanch, Agonda village panchayat said, “After Palolem, it’s now the turn of the less crowded Agonda beach to be the destination of Lamanis, Kashmiris and
Nepalis.
He further alleged that Lamani and Kashmiri traders were carrying out anti-social activities on the pretext of selling clothing and apparel and said that the police should take action against these traders during the forthcoming tourist season.