Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa’s spectacular beaches may be the biggest draw for well-heeled visitors from across the globe, but the tourist State falls woefully short when it comes to policing these beaches and keeping its tourists safe.
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With only one Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) and a mere 70 police personnel tasked with securing the whole of Goa’s 105-km coastline, even the beaches popular among tourists and for tourist-related activities lack surveillance, and it is no surprise that criminal elements have a free hand to prey on the people visiting these beaches.
Even as all the coastal constituency MLAs have demanded that the Tourism Department intervene and depute more police personnel to patrol the State’s beaches, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte told Herald that he would soon take up the matter of strengthening the Tourist Security Force with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is also Home Minister.
Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar said that the pristine beaches of Mandrem, Keri, Morjim and Arambol are some of the main and important beaches of North Goa. However, there are only two policemen to man these four beaches.
“Incidents like tourists taking their four-wheelers on joyrides on the beach, and other crimes cannot be prevented if there is no police surveillance,” said Arolkar.
The secluded Velsao Beach has seen at least four suspicious deaths and murders. Cortalim MLA Antonio Vaz stressed on the need for police patrolling to prevent crime on the beaches.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, whose constituency includes South Goa’s most popular beaches like Colva, Benaulim and Varca, said that there are no policemen visible across the beach areas.
“I had asked for a patrolling vehicle for Cavelossim area, but have not had any success till date,” Venzy said.
The Tourism Minister has agreed to convene a meeting of the DySPs who are in charge of the coastal belt.
“Tourism cannot die out because of the failure of the police department to follow-up and take action against the cited illegalities,” said Khaunte.
