PANJIM: Police have booked a driver and helper of a domestic tourist bus from Kerala for cooking in open space and creating nuisance in public place at Miramar beach on Friday night.
According to sources, police arrested the driver and helper of the bus with registration number KL 35 G 6211 under relevant sections and later released them on bail. The duo were arrested for cooking in open space at Miramar beach and subsequently littering the place with left overs.
Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor Uday Madkaikar said that on receiving a call from his fellow Corporator informing that tourists were cooking on the pavement, he rushed to the Miramar beach.
“I immediately went to the site and saw around 30 tourists cooking with a gas cylinder and eating along the pavement. I informed the police and asked them to take strict action. These people cook, eat and leave the left over items like plates, cups, bottles and waste food behind. I wish to take strict measures to stop such illegal activities in public places and see that our city remains clean”, he stated.
Earlier this year, the Goa Legislative Assembly on January 31 passed a Bill seeking to impose a ban in order to protect and preserve the tourism potential of the tourist places in the State and to keep such places clean and free from nuisance. Subsequently, the State government notified the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) (Amendment) Act, 2019 on February 8.
As per the amendment, Section 9A prohibits activities like consumption of liquor and cooking food in open places, littering waste including used material, empty bottles, breaking of glass bottles, etc.
“Any person violating the provisions shall be liable to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 to the competent authority or any other officer authorised by it in this behalf. Where such violation is committed by more than one person in a group, such group shall be liable to pay a fine of Rs 10,000,” the amendment prescribes.
