Patrol hours for Goa beaches extended till midnight

Panaji: Goa’s beaches will be patrolled till midnight by a special police division when the tourism season begins in September this year, a minister said in Panaji on Friday. Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar told reporters that the India Reserve Batallion (IRB), which has been guarding Goa’s beaches in the absence of a tourist police, would now maintain vigil till midnight to curb crimes. [caption id=“attachment_989119” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Tourists relax at the Anjuna beach in Goa. Reuters[/caption] In the last tourist season, IRB personnel were stationed at beaches until 9 pm. It has also been decided that the number of IRB personnel would be increased from the present 160 to 235 for the purpose of guarding the 105km-long shoreline, he said. The state tourism ministry has also decided to give three-year licences for shacks on beaches as against the earlier policy of permits valid only for a year, he said. Tourism ministry officials will begin consultations with shack owners from 1 August about the new policy, which will be announced on 15 August , he said. One of the new proposals for shack owners would be that they have to install CCTV cameras at their establishments, although that would not be mandatory, he said. The state-run Goa Tourism Development Corporation has, meanwhile, decided to set up and operate a “model shack” at Baga from the forthcoming tourist season. PTI