WHAT AILS GOA
* Drinking in public
* Cooking in the open
* Casino Industry
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CM IN ACTION
Sources in the government have informed that the Chief Minister has issued broad guidelines to his officers to draft amendments to a clutch of existing laws to tackle the issues
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EARLIER PROPOSALS
WHICH DIDN'T CLICK >>
CASINO INDUSTRY
* Amendments to the act to set up a gaming commission
* Amendments to prevent entry of locals into casinos
DRINKING IN PUBLIC
* Proposal to ban has support of several politicians but none have moved towards implementing
* The nuisance is also blamed for State's burgeoning garbage problem especially along the beaches
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PANAJI: The upcoming session of the Goa Legislative Assembly is likely to see the government moving to strengthen several laws to tackle public drinking, cooking in the open as well as the Goa Prevention of Gambling Act to ensure a tighter mechanism to regulate the casino industry in the state.
Sources in the government have informed that the Chief Minister has issued broad guidelines to his officers to draft amendments to a clutch of existing laws to tackle the issues of drinking in public, cooking in the open (primarily by tourists) that have riled the locals.
While the exact text of the amendments to be tabled by the treasury benches during the assembly session later next month, is not available, it is expected that the amendments to the law will empower authorities like the tourism and excise departments to act against such “public nuisance”.
With regard to the casino industry, sources have informed that the earlier amendments to the act to set up a gaming commission to regulate the industry as well as amendments proposed to prevent the entry of locals into casinos have not been effective or implemented.
The Chief Minister had earlier promised that only persons who could display proof that they were lodged in a hotel would be allowed to enter casinos, in a bid to dissuade Goans from entering casinos given that they would not be lodged in hotels.
Earlier this year the state government increased the annual recurring fees of the casinos manifold sending the industry scrambling to pay the amounts or reduce their gaming area in a bid to come under a lower tax bracket.
The issue of “cheap” tourists in Goa had become a point of friction with local politicians making news for the condemning the “wrong kind of tourist” who do not stay in hotels, maraud on the beach, harassing women.
The recent gang rape of a young woman at Betalbatim, followed by the death of three tourists who drowned after entering the water allegedly under the influence of alcohol had become a talking point and led to demands for the regulation of unruly tourists.
The ban on drinking public, especially on the beach is a long pending demand which several politicians have supported but none have moved towards implementing.
Drinking in public was also blamed for the states burgeoning garbage problem especially along the beaches.
The final drafts of the proposed amendments will have to be passed by the State cabinet before they can be tabled before the assembly.
