Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane on Tuesday ordered a crackdown on non-licenced businesses run by foreign nationals in Goa, alleging that many such establishments were being used as narcotic havens along the coastline.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, the minister said that clubs along the tourism-centric coastal belt in Goa would be raided by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for inspection of food safety and hygiene standards.
Mr. Rane said that the Health Act was also in the process of being modified to give it more teeth.
He disclosed that the FDA had drawn up a list of businesses operated by foreign nationals, which would be raided and examined for food and safety standards as well as for inspection of their respective licences.
"We have already formed a list of foreigners doing business in different parts of Goa in North and South. We will ensure that these foreigners who are doing business in Goa without licences will not continue. Most of these outlets, according to the reports that we are getting, are nothing but drug paradises. We do not want people of this type in Goa and we will take steps in that direction," Mr. Rane said.
The Goa coastline has several small outlets run by foreigners, many of them in partnership with local businesses selling hand-tooled goods, cafes, restaurants, alternative health facilities, trinkets, etc.
Mr. Rane had written to the Goa Police for the use of dedicated teams of police personnel to accompany the FDA while raiding parties, fearing the possibility of harm to FDA officials.
