Goemkarponn Desk
MORJIM: The Tourism Department in a joint operation with Tourist Police Personnel raided the Vithaldas Wada stretch of Morjim Beach and seized three truckloads of illegally placed deck beds, beach umbrellas, tents along with other material.
Goa Tourism said that it will intensify such measures to curb illegalities on all beaches and tourist places.
“10 truckloads of illegal material were seized and the beach which was used as private property was cleared of structures so as to make it accessible to tourists and locals,” the Goa Tourism said
The raid was carried out by assistant tourism officer Milind Chodankar with police assistance.
Among the banned activities are the “process of cooking food in open spaces and littering, consumption of liquor in open spaces and breaking of glass bottles, etc”.
Besides cooking, eating and drinking, the order also bans a wide range of illegal hawking, touting and other activities that could “impede the free movement of tourists/cause obstructions or compel the tourists to purchase items/goods/services”.
These include touting/selling tickets for cruise boats or other tickets of tourism activities other than from authorised ticketing counters, selling from unauthorised handcarts, moveable carts and unauthorised hawkers, selling tickets for water sports packages for services to be offered outside Goa and others.
Any person, company, association or firm or any other body who fails to comply with this order or obstructs any person acting on the direction of this order shall be punishable with a fine of ₹5,000, which may extend up to ₹50,000, or shall be liable for action under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobedience to a government order).