Rs 2,000 fine for boozing, cooking on beaches: Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar

New Delhi, Jan 24: Drinking alcohol or cooking in public on Goa's beaches will now attract a fine of Rs 2,000 or imprisonment for up to three months, according to an amendment to the Registration of Tourist Trade act which was approved by the state cabinet on Thursday.

Speaking to media, Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said,''We have made amendments in the Tourism Act, drinking or cooking in public will attract a fine of Rs. 2000 or imprisonment for three months. The Bill is yet to be passed in the Assembly, we will also issue an advisory.''

The amendment comes at a time when the tourism and travel industry stakeholders have been blaming the government for poor vision as well as lack of will to attract "quality tourists" to Goa even as tourist footfalls to the coastal state have dipped over the last couple of years.

The Tourism Minister also said that once the amendments come into force, after they are passed in the Assembly, photographs of offenders could be sent across to the Tourism Ministry over WhatsApp to a special phone number, following which action would be taken within 12 hours.