Goa lifeguards strike work, demand regularisation of services

Lifeguards in Goa today began an indefinite strike demanding regularisation of services.

State tourism minister Dilip Parulekar said he would soon meet the lifeguards to find a solution to the issue.

While a labour union representing lifeguards claimed that all 650 personnel have struck work, a private agency manning the services said "not all have joined the strike".

"All the lifeguards have begun the strike. It is an indefinite strike. We will not budge till our demands are met," Christopher Fonseca, leader of All India Trade Union Congress, which represents the lifeguards, said.

The lifeguards began protest in Panaji city to pressurise the government to approve their long-pending demands, he said.

They are demanding regularisation of their services.

The lifeguard services are provided across all the 105 kilometre-long beach stretches in the state, in addition to the water bodies like the Dudhsagar waterfall.

The Drishti services management, however, said the services today were not affected as all the lifeguards are not on strike.

"Not all are on strike. The services are not affected. We are on the beaches," Drishti lifeguard services Chief Executive Officer Manoj Agrawal said, adding that a formal statement would be issued in the evening.

Meanwhile, Parulekar said the government will intervene in the matter.

"We will soon call for a meeting of lifeguards and the company to find the solution," he said.