PORVORIM
Barely weeks after a car got stuck in the sea at Morjim beach, reckless driving has continued on beaches in the State and in the latest such incident, some tourists from Punjab were found riding scooters on Coco beach at Nerul on Tuesday.
Two of them were later fined by Porvorim police for the act.
A video of two scooters being driven by two Punjabi men with pillion riders at Coco beach in Nerul went viral on social media, prompting sharp and angry reactions from people.
Porvorim Police Inspector Ninad Deolkar said the owners of both scooters were contacted based on the registration numbers. The owners revealed the identifies of the two riders who had hired the scooters from them.
Two tourists were summoned to the Porvorim police station and they confessed having driven the scooters on Coco beach, unaware that riding of vehicles was not permitted on the beach.
“Police later fined both riders Rs 600 each and released them,” said PI Deolkar.
A few weeks ago, a tourist was arrested on charges of rash and negligent driving at Morjim beach, after a rent-a-car got stuck in the sea.
Reacting angrily to the viral video of the tourists riding on the beach, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Wednesday vowed strict action. “Unruly tourists who flaunt their driving skills by riding their bikes and cars on beaches will be booked,” they said
“Those who drive vehicles on the beaches will be punished. The police should file a case,” Ajgaonkar said. Tourists, he said, should enjoy Goa by respecting the local culture.
Sawant also said that tourists should follow the laws of the land, even as riding private or rented two-wheelers, unless authorised by a government agency, on the beach is barred by law.
“They should follow the law of the land. Again and again, we have requested tourists (against such misdemeanours). If they do not listen we will have to take strict action,” the Chief Minister said.
Just a few weeks back, yet another tourist was booked and arrested after he drove a rent-a-car vehicle into the sea at Morjim, after which the vehicle got wedged in the sands.
