PANAJI: The Goa Department of Tourism will use WhatsApp to ensure cleanliness and hygiene on the beaches in the State. The beach-cleaning contractor has set up the initiative as a a stop-gap arrangement until the department puts concrete measures in place.
A WhatsApp number will be announced soon, on which citizens can send the location on the beach where waste is strewn around. The contractor will take corrective measures within 24 hours and send a report to the Tourism Department.
After reviewing cleanliness and hygiene on beaches, Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar on Tuesday directed the department to put in place interim measures until permanent solutions are worked out.
In the meantime, Mr. Azgaonkar has instructed officials to speed up the tendering process for beach-cleaning works.
The Minister also reviewed the status on the project to set up toilets, urinals, changing rooms and other utility facilities on the beaches.
Mr. Azgaonkar also discussed other issues concerning tourism during the meeting with officials from the department, and reviewed measures being taken to curb nuisance caused by hawkers and other unauthorised activities on beaches in the State.
The officials have been instructed to submit a status report within a week’s time. The Minister will thereafter convene a meeting of all stakeholders to put a final plan into action. “I am keen to ensure that the beaches in Goa remain clean and locals and tourists are not inconvenienced,” Mr. Azgaonkar said after the meeting.
The beach cleanliness also assumes significance in view of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s plans to make Goa’s public places litter-free by introducing heavy fines, by July this year.
