Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday said his department will soon issue a circular appealing to tourists and locals to check the safety before going to dangerous spots in the coastal state. Khaunte told reporters that many a times, people go to such places after watching videos of social media influencers.
“Sometimes, an Instagram influencer releases a video about an abandoned quarry which is filled with water. After watching such a video, people go there and jump in the water, without realising the dangers and get drowned,” the minister said.
The tourism department will soon issue a circular and create awareness among tourists and locals about checking the safety of places before venturing there, he said.
Despite Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s appeal to the people not to swim venture into the deep waters, there have been incidents of drowning in the coastal state, he said.
Suneel Anchipaka, IAS, Director of Tourism and Managing Director, GTDC, spoke on the monsoon preparedness in the coastal belt and said, “Beach clearing agencies are in place, all the cleaning activities are taking place. Lifeguards are situated in various beaches. A few shacks have already started dismantling. By the end of this month, they are all going to be dismantled.”
In view of the upcoming monsoon season, the North Goa and South Goa district collectors recently issued circulars, prohibiting swimming in waterfalls, abandoned quarries, and rivers, among other water bodies. The district administrations warned that failure to abide by the order would amount to a violation of section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
Section 188 deals with disobedience that causes or tends to cause danger to human life, health or safety.
