Going to Goa is a time to picnic for the domestic tourists coming from the neighbouring states and the come down with their own cooking equipment and utensils, they also drink on the beaches thunking it is all acceptable here but it not true anymore. If you are coming down to Goa then make sure that you do not cook or drink in open.
There are various types of tourist visits Goa that includes the budget tourist, mid-budget and low budget tourists and all of them look for the best available options
for stay and food but in this one more type of tourist is there and they practically do not look for any options of stay and food cause they stay inside their vehicle and cook on the roadside and defecate in the open too.
Due to such types of behaviour of the tourists, the Goa government had decided to amend the Tourism Act to punish such people and now that has come into the force. According to the sources, drinking or cooking in public henceforth will attract a fine of Rs. 2000 or imprisonment for three months or both. The Bill is yet to be passed in the Assembly and the government will issue an advisory soon.
The report published by the Times Now News Goa government has made new amendment in the Tourism Act that will make the drinking or cooking in public punishable and it will attract a fine of Rs. 2000 with or without imprisonment for three months.
The Tourism Minister Babu Ajgaonkar said that the Bill is yet to be passed in the Assembly and once passed an advisory will also be issued.
It may be recalled that the recent cases of the domestic tourists cooking on roadside and drinking in public places have caused a huge nuisance to the others, especially the foreigner tourists. There were cases of some tourists misbehaving with the locals as well a the foreigners.
Such kind of behaviour is not acceptable and that creates irrevocable damage to the tourism industry of Goa. The new amendment will help the Tourism Department to keep control over such activities said the sources.
Goa has also banned public drinking on the beaches and heavy fine will be imposed on people who try to break this rule. As per the new rule, those who consume alcohol in public would be fined Rs 2,500. Welcoming this move, the state tourism minister had said, “We want good tourists, those who follow Goa’s discipline and culture and Goenkarponn.”
The earlier report published in the Goa Prism states that the meeting which was comprised of the representatives from state government agencies, as well as tourism, and travel industry stakeholders, took place inside the closed doors, and no media persons were allowed inside the room.
After the meeting, the tourism minister spoke to reporters and mentioned that they have taken a decision on undertaking a massive awareness drive in the state to make tourists aware of the perils of swimming in the sea after sunset. “Cooking in the open by groups of tourists is an eyesore. It creates disturbance and garbage which is left unattended. We have instructed police to crack down on groups of tourists who travel by buses and cooking gear and then cook in the open for their meals,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the last week, Mr Micheal Lobo blamed the chief minister for promoting the tourists drinking on Goan beaches saying that Goa’s Chief Minister is responsible for the Tourists drinking on Goan Beaches.
Speaking on the same, the Deputy Speaker and Calangute BJP MLA, Michael Lobo accused the Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar for being responsible for alcohol consumption in beaches. On Tuesday, Lobo came out strongly against his own government and CM blaming him for the inaction against tourist for alcohol consumption in the beaches of Goa. According to Lobo, the CM had failed to issue necessary orders regarding this, in spite of himself (Lobo) raising this matter several times.
“Domestic tourists think every girl they see on the beach is available. They get drunk and do whatever they want because they can carry any amount of (alcohol) bottles onto the beaches. They can break bottles on the beach and just walk away. The tourism department is responsible for this and our chief is responsible for this. He is 100% responsible because he should have brought order. He has not brought order in spite of me telling him at least 50 times. I have been raising the same issue for the past three years,” the deputy speaker told reporters at the police headquarters.
