MAPUSA
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said duping tourists has become a business and people from outside the State were involved in the business which has to be stopped.
Lobo also said Goa Police was doing a good job by arresting the touts involved in cheating and harassing the tourists in the State.
“These touts cheat customers. Outstation boys come and start business of duping tourists by extorting money from them for various services. This is become a business for them which needs to be laid to rest. Proper rules and regulations need to be framed and strict implementation has to be done,” Lobo said.
The Calangute MLA was responding to queries on the recent action of the police against touts in the coastal village.
On Sunday night, Calangute Police had arrested nine touts for harassing the tourists apparently trying to woo them with false promises.
Earlier in the week, Goa Police along with the Tourism Department had detained 30 touts operating in Calangute under the Goa Tourist Trade Act.
“The SP and Calangute PI are doing a good job. I am happy with that. The number of touts is increasing not only in our constituency but also in other places,” Lobo said.
“But they should catch the real touts and not people with mistaken identity to simply inflate the numbers,” he added.
He said there was a certain incident where a two-wheeler owner was arrested thinking that he was a tout.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had in the past slammed the police for its failure to act against the menace of touts which was bringing a bad name for tourism and the State.
