The Excise Department in Goa is working on an amendment to the Excise Act, which will empower them to declare “no drinking zones” in certain parts of the State.
PANAJI
According to Excise commissioner Menino D’Souza, “As of now, there is no law in Goa, which prevents people from consuming alcohol outside apart from the act, which prevents people from drinking in certain tourist spots. We are working on an amendment, which will empower us to declare certain places as no-drinking zones.”
D’Souza, however, clarified that this will not be a blanket implementation across Goa. The idea is to prevent the events, wherein people drink outside and create nuisance. When asked which places are likely to be declared as no drinking zones, D’Souza replied, “It will most likely be public areas.”
Alcohol consumption on beaches and in several other tourist spots is illegal in Goa as per ‘The Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act, 2001’. But, this act doesn’t cover public areas apart from tourist areas.
In fact, during the budget, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had said, “Excise dept is receiving numerous complaints, regarding consumption of liquor in open spaces and public places, causing nuisance by littering bottles and cans. I propose to notify such open spaces and public places where consumption of liquor will not be allowed and empower the commissioner and such other authorities to enforce the ban”
Amendment to the act may be introduced in the monsoon session.
Amendment to Excise Act will empower the Dept to declare certain places as no-drinking zones
The idea is to prevent the events, wherein people drink outside and create nuisance
Drinking zones most likely to be declared will be public areas
Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act doesn’t cover public areas apart from tourist areas
Amendment to the act likely to be introduced in the upcoming monsoon session of the Goa assembly
