Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa government has stopped granting permission to new spas and restaurants until the Public Health Act is amended. The matter is expected to be taken up at the next Cabinet meeting.
The government has also warned to stop and penalise restaurants operating from residential complexes. The decision comes in the backdrop of police raids on spas, busting alleged prostitution rackets.
“The Health Act would be strengthened. Spas should not be in 10 square mtrs. We have stopped NOCs for new spas and new restaurants till we have the Health Act amended. It will bring in stringent measures and before the next session, we will approve the amendment in the Cabinet,” Health Minister Vishwajit Rane informed reporters on Friday. He also proposed to set up special cells to weed out all the discrepancies and providing teeth to the officers to act against illegalities.
The Minister further said that the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is already having powers to act against illegalities but that was not enough to tackle the nuisance. “I want to amend Health Act in such a way that it backs up the FDA Act. Both should complement each other,” he commented adding, “Besides new permissions, the amendment would also ensure that restaurants operating without valid permissions would be penalized heavily.”
Rane said that the Health Department will also stop allowing restaurants to run from the residential complexes, which is evident across several places. “People are disrespecting the Health Act. We will work with Town and Country Planning Department and not grant NOC in the residential complex,” he stated.
The Minister said that he has already discussed the amendments to Health Act with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who has given some suggestions to make it more stringent. “Goa will set precedent in the country by coming out with innovative Health Act. We will take stakeholders into confidence,” he added.
“ I have put the ban just to know what is happening. Health clearance, Health Act has to be given more powers. CM has given some suggestions on how to strengthen it and we will also ensure that the Act is going to be strong and stress will be given on hygiene. The outdated Health Act would be replaced with stringent act,” he further said.
On the Goa State Women’ Commission, Rane, who also holds the Women and Child Development portfolio, said that Women’s Commission Act would also undergo change. “I would be meeting Union Minister Maneka Gandhi. We will have proper guidelines in the Act but everything will be done by taking stakeholders into confidence,” he assured.
