Goa: Private agency to tackle beggar menace

Panaji, Aug 29: Expressing concern over the beggars and unauthorised vendor menace inconveniencing the tourists in Goa, State Tourism Minister Francisco Pascheco said the government may consider recruiting a private agency to tackle the problem.

Mr Pascheco was replying to a question on the issue, in the State Legislative Assembly which gathered at 1130 hrs, three hours ahead of schedule to transact a large volume of business on the last day of the budget session today.

The tourism minister said he would also direct the tourist police and the department officials to keep a watch.

He said the authorities had booked as many as 1,723 vendors in the year 2007 and around 1,257 this year till July end, from Baga, Anjuna, Csalangute and Candolim beaches of North Goa. They included vendors from Jammu and Kashmir.

Intervening, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the House that he would direct the Home Ministry to consider whether it was possible to work in tandem with the tourism department to check the menace which had been affecting tourism in the state.

UNI