Ares
for Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (AF)

Panaji, May 7: Cracking down on the errant water sports operators posing threat to the lives of tourists at Goa's famous Calangute beach, the state tourism department along with the captain of ports department suspended licences of ten water sports operators.
 
'These operators were running their business in the bathing zone posing danger to the lives of the tourists. We had warned them time and again but they did not pay heed to our warnings,' Lyndon Monteiro, personal assistant to minister for ports Fransisco Pacheco, stated.

The action followed joint inspection carried out by police, ports and tourism department officials who were acting on the pictures carried in local media which showed water sports posing danger to the tourists.

Goa welcomes around 2.5 million tourists annually, comprising four lac foreigners.

Captain of ports A P Mascarenhas signed the licence cancellation orders which were dispatched immediately to these operators stopping their activity on crowded Calangute beach, 20 km away from here.

'The state government has already clarified that it will bear no nonsense on the beaches. We don't want to harm the guests who come here to enjoy their vacations,' Monteiro said.

The state has around 150 water sports operators registered with the state ports and tourism department spanning across the 105-km-long beach stretch.

Monteiro said that the department was flooded with the complaints about the jet ski and boats, which were operating in the bathing zone at Calangute, disrespecting the demarcated area. 'This poses danger to the lives of visitors who venture in to water for a swim,' he said.

The state government has said that they would continue their drive against such activity on the beach.