SURAJ NANDREKAR & VIBHA VERMA
CALANGUTE/ PANJIM: A day after the Dy Speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo blamed the Chief Minister for the nuisance caused by tourists on the beaches and elsewhere, the tourists were seen cooking and creating nuisance at the Calangute parking lot.
The tourists, right in the middle of parking lot, were seen cooking and drinking in parking lot where hundreds of vehicles are parked.
When locals questioned them, they refused to clear the mess, said a resident.
What is more shocking is that the area is frequently patrolled by the police, traffic police and Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) only a few meters from the beach.
Moreover, the DGP had assured the local MLA just a day before on strict action against such nuisance.
The panchayat members led by Sarpanch Shawn Martins who was present for a meeting with DGP were not to be seen at all.
Lobo furious
At a time when the State is debating declining foreign footfalls, the continuing nuisance of domestic tourists cooking by the roadside and in open space has made Calangute legislator Michael Lobo furious.
His reaction comes after fresh photos of Karnataka tourists camping behind Calangute Residency, drinking liquor in open and cooking on LPG cylinder and stove around the premise, has gone viral on social media.
“Goa is known for its beauty, culture and tradition. There are certain sections of tourists who are trying to spoil Goa’s image; and this behaviour is discouraging other quality tourists from visiting the State. Such nuisance makers should be fined and jailed. What kind of tourists are we attracting?” he lamented in response to Herald’s query on the nuisance along his constituency.
The legislator once again came down heavily on Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for failing to tighten the noose around the nuisance makers. “He is responsible for the decline of good tourism in Goa. He should ensure that Goa is not going down the drain owing to such nuisance,” Lobo commented while suggesting that hefty penalty and punishment will curb nuisance in Goa.
The photos that surfaced on social sites shows that tourists purportedly from Karnataka have parked their Karnataka registered vehicles behind Calangute Residency and are cooking in between many vehicles parked at the venue. In other pictures, at least 10 liquor bottles are placed on one of these vehicles and around half a dozen boys are having a ‘liquor party’ in the open space during the late hours.
Lobo alleged that inaction against such tourists have persuaded many Goan youth for resorting to such behavior. “Since tourists drinking in open public are not dealt with strictly, local youth are imitating them. Post 6pm, the boys are found at several places drinking liquor,” he slammed demanding discipline among the tourists as per the law.
Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo has also called for discipline among the tourists. “We don’t want tourists cooking and drinking in open, because it spoils our image and drives away good tourists. If the problem is not resolved, Goa tourism would be in big trouble,” he said.
President of Travel and Tourism Association of Goa Savio Messias has also expressed his anger to the incident seeking strict action against such tourists. “Under Tourist Places Protection and Maintenance Act, cooking has already been declared as a nuisance. Only consistent follow up and police crackdown can solve this menace,” he said speaking to Herald. Under the Act, a violator can be fined and also imprisoned for up to three months.
