Calangute, Aug 15 (TNN): Massage parlours and spas operating illegally in the coastal belt of Calangute could soon become a thing of the past with the state government initiating steps to seal those premises found operating without the consent to operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board and other authorities. Three illegal parlours were sealed on Wednesday. There are estimated to be around 32 such parlours along the Candolim-Calangute beach belt. More are expected to be shut down in coming days.

On August 8, residents and taxi owners from Calangute had submitted a memorandum to chief minister Manohar Parrikar at the secretariat demanding that all illegal massage parlours and spas in Calangute be shut down immediately as they allegedly were a front for prostitution and other immoral activities, and they did not want Calangute to turn into a ?sex destination'. Subsequently, health minister Laxmikant Parsekar had revealed in the legislative assembly that there was only one legal massage parlour in the state, and the rest were all illegal.

On Wednesday, Bardez mamlatdar Dashrath Gauns, along with the Candolim primary health centre medical officer Dr Doreen Noronha and Calangute PI Rajesh Kumar, inspected three massage parlours and spas and sealed them after they were found operating without any valid documents.

"We have a list of around 32 such parlours, but some of them have been closed for almost a year," Noronha said. "It's a slow process as we have to go on checking each and every parlour and see if they have the necessary permissions, and then initiate action if they are operating illegally. Two have already shut down on their own."