Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa government has constituted a five-member committee to submit recommendations on beach safety, including action against violators. The 45-minute meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar with the departments concerned and stakeholders discussed about tightening rules on beach safety and taking steps to prevent untoward incidents on the beaches.
“Venturing into waters in a drunken state is banned and anyone found doing so, will be penalised. The visitors will be told not to enter the sea during odd-hours and post-7pm,” said one of those who attended the meeting. The meeting was also attended by Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar.
Sources said the CM has given strict instructions to act tough against the violators, including those found drinking from glass bottles. “Glass bottles too are banned,” he said adding, “Since these are instructions to be strictly implemented from this tourist season, it is advisable for the shack owners to display warning signs on the ban on drinking and swimming, and ban on the use of glass bottles. Menu cards could too have these instructions for the well-being of the visitors, particularly tourists.”
The government is also contemplating to extend the working hours of the Drishti lifeguards, who are on duty between 7am and 6pm, at least during the season to ensure safety of the tourists.
The government has also decided to crackdown on makeshift kitchens by tourists, traveling by road to Goa. “These tourists cook, eat and dirty the surroundings. We will act against them,” said an official.
While these recommendations were discussed ahead of the tourist season, the government decided to form a committee to submit suggestions after discussions with all the stakeholders. The committee will be headed by Babu Quenim and will have Tourism deputy director Arvind Khutkar as member secretary and three others – South SP Arviind Gawas, President of Shack Owners Assocaition Cruz Cardozo and a Drishti representative as members. Government nominee Vishal Cacodo is also on the panel.
