Drinking in public continues unabated

Despite several attempts by the Police and other authorities to curb liquor consumption in public places, drinking of alcohol still continues in some corners of Panjim. 

Goa Government intends to amend the existing law to restrict people drinking liquor in the public places in order to avoid the nuisance created by people in drunken state.

Drinking in the open, especially at night, has reportedly been going on rampantly in some of the corners of residential colonies in Patto area, Miramar, Campal, Caranzalem and Taleigao. Several complaints have been lodged by the people and senior citizens that youngsters carry on their binge even at jogging areas by the road side. However, these youngsters give police the slip by the time they reach the spot and move to some other lonely spot to continue with their drinking sessions.

While the Government has already banned liquor on the beaches across the State, the drinking of liquor in public has become another issue where lot of youth purchase liquor from retail shops and consume it sitting in public places. 

“Drinking of liquor in public places not only creates a nuisance but it also makes the surroundings dirty after the empty bottles are thrown everywhere”, said Mahesh Naik, a local resident from Panjim.

Arjuna awardee and former captain of Indian football team Brahmanand Sankhwalkar who resides in Taleigao said that several complaints to the Police have gone unheard. People drink in a public place and even play loud music of the cars till late night and early morning, he added. 

“I have also written to the Chief Minister of Goa complaining of same; several calls to Police also have gone in vain and the nuisance continues. I don’t entirely blame the police as it is happening all over and they must be receiving several calls”, he said.

A Mala resident Vinay Chodankar said that the heavy fines should be imposed on public drinking and secondly the deposits of equal price should be asked to carry bottles that should be released only after returning the empty bottles.

“Senior citizens are facing lot of hardship in the morning as well as in the evening during our walking time. In the morning it is because of broken bottles and in evening it is because of the nuisance created by the intoxicated youth. Police are doing their job but they cannot reach at each and every corner”, Chodankar said. 

Panjim Police Inspector Sidhant Shirodkar said that Police are instructed to keep watch on such elements that are consuming liquor in public and creating nuisance in the society. 

“We take action whenever we receive the complaints, although our vehicles remain on same job. There is regular patrolling done in prone areas and we have also booked the cases”, he said.

He informed that last year total 12 cases were registered for drinking liquor in public and 12 accused were arrested.