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Castes, 12% to Other Backward Classes (OBC), 1% to Nomadic Tribes (NT), and 5% to

Scheduled Tribes, with 71% being categorized under the general caste.
The varied religious and social groups in the dense indigenous settlement suggest harmony

and peace between communities with varied belief systems and cultural prac-tises.
Communal violence and discord is non-existent and a strong sense of community is

persistent throughout the region that depends on Fishing as a major source of income and
livelihood.
Thesis Report V-SPARC VIT
Linguistics & Nativity - The majority of families (47%) speak Marathi as their mother

tongue, followed by 32% who speak Hindi, and 7% who speak Tulu. Additionally, 5% of
families speak Gujarati, 4% speak Telugu, and 1% speak Urdu. Around 47% also converse

in English as a medium for trading and commerce. The Christian Koli popu-lation belongs
to the subtype known as 'Son Kolis', primarily found along the North Konkan coast,

spanning from Bassein to Ratnagiri in the south. Their traditional occu-pation, passed down

through generations, is fishing.
The impact of historic Portuguese influence is found around the region, these persist in the

form of languages, lifestyle, and social infrastructure. The amalgamation of na-tivities also
makes this region a unique melting pot of contrasting cultures.

3.2.5 Social Attitudes (Indigenous community radii)
Discerning social feelings and attitudes towards tourism and recreational developments

revealed 27% were supportive of tourism development while 44% had a neutral stance for

the same. 16% oppose any such development. (Figure 10) Consequently 33% be-lieve
tourism will benefit the village, while 38% are hopeful it will have a positive impact.

Fig. 10. Attitude towards tourism development i
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