PANAJI
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Tuesday batted for tourists who come for brief 4-5-day stays and travel within the State by renting out bikes or cars, saying they should not be harassed and challaned by the traffic police.
Lobo said in the Goa legislative assembly during the general discussion on the 2023-24 budget, that these mostly Indian visitors formed the bulk of Goa's tourist footfalls and should be treated with some courtesy, instead of being harassed by the traffic police and challaned.
"I have so many such tourists complaining that they get stopped and at times, harassed by the police at up to 10 different points in a single day. Issuing challans as a revenue-collecting measure is not wise," Lobo said.
Lobo said even if they violate traffic rules, they should be disciplined and not directly fined. He claimed that in many foreign countries, the police do it.
"They do not pull you up and fine you. Even if you drive in a no-entry zone, they will stop you and ask you to take a U-turn and travel by the correct route because they know it is a mistake and not an intentional violation," Lobo claimed.
He said if this trend of Goa traffic police harassing tourists and fining them continues, it will send a wrong message which will hurt Goa's tourist footfalls.
Tourism, he said, is Goa's main revenue earner and should be promoted as it is also the State's main economic activity which generates thousands of jobs.
Tequila of Goa
He suggested that feni, which has been recognised as a heritage drink, should be promoted as 'tequila of Goa' as an added tourist attraction. He also made a case for massive upgradation of the Bondla zoo to redesignate it as a place to organise jungle safaris thus attracting a large number of tourists and generating jobs.
