Mumbai, Thursday, July 17, 2014: In order to boost tourist safety throughout the year, a sensitization workshop was held at with the Department of Tourism officials and the Tourist Police force, at the Tourism Bhavan, Patto, Panaji.
The meeting was addressed by Director Tourism, Deputy Director Mr. Arvind Khutkar, SP Umesh Gaonkar and PSI Mr. Sachin Gawas. Around 97 IRB personnel were present at the workshop. The aim of the workshop was to brief the Tourist Police officers on management of duties on field, tacking situations and redressal of complaints.
Mrs. Pamela Mascarenhas, Deputy Director, Department of Tourism said, “Domestic tourists visit the state all throughout the year, during season and off-season. The IRB personnel are deployed on all beaches of Goa and have been sensistized to take strict action against garbage dumping, drinking on beaches, cooking food on the roadside, littering, security of tourists especially women and prohibiting hawkers and beggars on beaches. A special training workshop will be conducted shortly on handling such situations.”
Strict laws will be followed to ‘Keep Goa green and clean.’ Drinking on beaches is prohibited and declared as nuisance. Anyone found doing so will be charged a fine of Rs. 5000/-. The Tourist police force has been asked to intervene if they notice incidents such as harassment/troubling women especially foreign tourists.
Signboards will be put up on all beaches warning tourists not to litter the beaches. If found littering, the person will be detained and fined by the Dept. of Tourism. No scooters/vehicles will be allowed on beaches except for the lifeguard vehicle/Ambulance/Police/Govt. vehicles. There will be zero tolerance for beggars and hawkers on beaches.
IRB force will also be deployed at the Calangute Promenade and action will be taken on vendors/tourists who litter the place. It has been noticed that tourists coming in tourist buses are found cooking on the roadside thereby creating a nuisance. The Govt. of Goa will soon pass an order not permitting such activities on the roadside.
The Department of Tourism has constituted a Flying Squad who will further take the responsibility in controlling escalated matters. Dy. Director, Mr. Arvind Khutkar mentioned that a special Surveillance and Monitoring team will inspect illegal activities in hotels, shacks and beaches.
Ten new vehicles will be shortly deployed for the purpose of patrolling in North and South Goa. CCTV cameras will be installed on all major beaches in the forthcoming tourist season.