PANJIM, OCT 7
Beware! Beggars and hawkers harassing tourists on the beaches and at other tourists spots. Shack owners who take liberty to put deck beds more than what they are permitted by the Tourism Department also need to be careful. There’s possibility they can land into trouble if they continue with their high handedness for department will soon deploy its own security personnel to provide safety to tourists.
The security personnel will be deployed at popular beaches and other spots – they’ll also be given the task to ensure that beggars and hawkers are kept away so that they do not irritate tourists, informed Swapnil Naik, Director, Department of Tourism.
Earlier, tourist police were entrusted with this job but they were hardly of any use to TD.
In fact, there have complaints against them and allegations that received bribes from beggars and hawkers for access to the beach.
Recently, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) had also complaint about failure of the department in controlling nuisance of beggars and hawkers even as the season has began.
Some six months back the government sent tourist police back to their parent department as TD under central scheme decided to raise its own force.
The Tourism Director said they had no control whatsoever on tourist police and they reported to their higher ups in the police department.
But things will be different now as the department will be in control now. It is in process of building its security force consisting of sixty ex-service men and interviews are scheduled to be conducted this month.
At later, local youth will also be recruited and will form part of the tourist security force. It will help them to have better security arrangement at tourist places, believe TD. l
Once it has its security in place, the department intends to crack a whip against erring shack owners and those providing water sports facilities who undue advantage as currently, TD doesn’t have enough manpower to have regular checks.
At present, TD has two squads one each for two districts that consists of two-three tourism employees and they conduct random checks.
It’s evident they are not very effective as violations whether it is by shack owners or persons offering waters sports facility, are rampant. Beggars and hawkers swamp tourists places with immunity.
