Drunken Goans are different from drunken tourists – Manohar Ajgaonkar
“Tourists who do not respect the culture of Goa and create nuisance by littering on the beaches or taking narcotic drugs are not welcome in the state”, said Manohar Ajgaonkar, Tourism Minister of Goa.
He was talking in the Legislative Assembly on 26th July 2018.The minister also said that existing laws were not strong enough to confront the nuisance created by hawkers on the beaches in the state
According to Ajgoankar there is a difference between a drunk Goan and a tourist who is drunk. “Goans will walk straight on the road while tourists walk shaking their body,” said the minister.
Speaking on other issues at the beach like stray animals, garbage and illegal hawkers he said the tourism department was working to sole those issues, but could not completely succeed.
He repeated the inefficiency of the existing law to tackle the issues and exhorted to amend the Tourism Act to strengthen it.
He said the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel posted on the beaches do not have enough powers and have to depend on the local police to take action.
“Banned activities will be displayed at the beaches, for people to abstain from them. The director of tourism has been given instructions in this regard,” added the minister
Regarding the issue of garbage, the minister said a WhatsApp helpline has been launched by the department and public can post pictures of the garbage on beach in the helpline. “If anyone sends a picture of garbage on a beach, it will be cleared within 12 hours,” he added.
Earlier in this month also the minister made similar remarks on those who misbehaves and litter the beaches.