MHA team postpones visit to Goa
HERALD REPORTER
VASCO, FEB 7
A top-level Ministry of Home and Affairs (MHA) team has reportedly postponed its scheduled visit to the State on February 9 to work out modalities to take over the charge of immigration chores from the State police.
According to a news agency, a State Home Ministry official had said the delegation, led by Anil Goswami, additional secretary (MHA) in charge of the foreigners section, and Anuj Sharma, director (Immigration), were to meet Goa Chief Secretary Sanjiv Srivastav Wednesday to discuss the details.
It is learnt that the Union Home Ministry wants to finalise and adopt an action plan before fully taking over the management of these immigration desks by Immigration Bureau officials.
When contacted, Superintendent of Police ( Immigration) Tony Fernandes told Herald that the programme scheduled on February 9 has been postponed.
The MHA was reportedly irked by complaints about corruption at the immigration counters at Goa’s seaport and the only military-operated airport, due which the MHA wanted to visit Goa to discuss the modalities for taking over the immigration, the news agency report stated.
“We received complaints from various consulates about the inefficiency and the unprofessional behaviour of the state police when it came to handling the huge rush of foreign tourists who visit Goa each tourist season,” the official was quoted in the report.
“A sense of professionalism will prevail once seasoned immigration officials are posted at the immigration check posts.
Fernandes rubbished claims that MHA officials were planning to take charge of Goa’s immigration due to inefficiency by Goa Police.
“The Intelligent Bureau (IB) mooted a proposal that all airports in the country should be managed by the MHA and hence, it was in this light that Goa airport would be handed over to the MHA officials,” said Fernandes.
“In a phased manner, all airports in county would be managed by the MHA. Metro airports in the country are already under the control of the MHA. In the second phase, Goa airport along with other small airports would also by controlled by MHA,” said Fernandes.
“We have no problem with this arrangement. Even though the airport is managed by the MHA officials, they would need the assistance of Goa Police and most staff would render their service on deputation,” added Fernandes.
In the recent past, Goa has emerged as a soft entry point for several criminals.
The immigration desk, manned by the Goa Police, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons — ranging from corruption to turning a blind eye to a fake passport racket that was unearthed a few years ago.
