Detention centre for foreigners illegally staying in Goa

Panaji, Aug 6: To tackle the menace of foreigners overstaying in Goa, the state government on Wednesday announced setting up of a detention centre within next 2-3 months.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Legislative Assembly that the state government has been grappling with the issue of foreigners overstaying in Goa for a long time. Parrikar said these foreigners take advantage of the lacunae in the existing system.

"Government has now decided to have a detention centre in next two-three months for foreigners who are illegally staying here. They will be kept in detention till their parent country does not take them back," the Chief Minister told the House replying to a question tabled by Independent legislator Rohan Khaunte.

Parrikar said the state government will take help from the Union government for putting in place such a facility, which will keep the offenders within designated areas.

"Now we deport them, but they just vanish," he said without elaborating further. The CM conceded that the state government does not have the power of deportation which makes things worse.

"The issue will be taken up with the Centre explaining them the difficulties faced by the state government," he said, adding that some foreigners don't even carry travel documents which makes it difficult to know their country of origin.

The state government, he said, has already issued instructions to educational institutions to take permission from the government before admitting foreign students.

PTI