Panaji: In a major decision, Goa Tourism Department on Monday notified several activities including cooking at the roadside by tourists and selling of tickets or packages to tourists promoting destinations outside Goa as ‘nuisance.’
The order signed by State Director of Tourism Nikhil Desai has empowered Goa Police to take action against all the activities that are mentioned in the order.
While listing out various tourism related activities currently prevailing in the state, the department has said “such activities have damaged and deteriorated or are likely to damage or deteriorate the tourism potentiality of the Tourist Places.”
Desai has prohibited these activities and has further directed the concerned persons, companies, associations or any firms “not to
undertake any of the such activities, process or operation in the Tourist Places with immediate effect.”
The historic order has notified ten different activities including Operation of all Boating / Water Sports Activities from areas, other than those permitted and conducted within Demarcated Zones .
Clamping down on the domestic tourists cooking at the roadside and creating nuisance, the department has banned the process of cooking of food in open spaces and littering of areas in all Tourist Places.
In yet another ban, the order has prohibited the activities of Touting / selling of cruise boat tickets/ any other tickets of tourist activities in the open from places other than from the authorized ticketing counters/ offices in all Tourist Places.
The order has also banned the activities pertaining to begging of ‘Alms’ in all Tourist places and causing annoyance to the Public.
In future, the activities related to selling of items/goods from unauthorised
handcarts/movable carts and unauthorised hawkers would be banned in tourist places.
The department has said that the Hawkers/agents/service providers shall not in any manner impede the free movement of tourists/cause obstructions or compel the tourist to purchase items/goods/services.
In another curb, the department has banned the activities related to un-authorized selling of Water Sports Tickets /Packages to tourists for services to be offered outside Goa in places like Malvan / Karwar etc.
The ban is also imposed on the activities related to illegal placement of deck-beds, tables and other items on all the beaches of Goa without holding valid permissions from the Prescribed /Competent Authority.
The order has also banned driving of unauthorised vehicles on beaches of Goa and consumption of Liquor in open and breaking of glass bottles etc in Tourist Places.
