Panaji, Jun 6 (IANS): To prevent domestic tourists from cooking or staying in the open areas and defecating on the beaches, a local panchayat of the coastal state has decided to set up five checkpoints in its jurisdiction to check hotel bookings of the guests before their entry.

Around eight million tourists, domestic and foreign, visit Goa every year, and most of them throng the popular Calangute beach in North Goa to enjoy its beauty and vibrant nightlife.

This has fostered dance bar culture, drug menace, and prostitution in the area. Irked over the issue, the locals last year protested demanding action against the illegalities.

Subsequently, around 11 restaurants in Calangute, allegedly operating as dance bars in the guise of eateries, were sealed by the state government on the directions of the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court.

Speaking to IANS, Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said that they have decided to set up checkpoints to stop the illegalities.

“Tourists come and stay here in the open areas. They also cook on the roadside. As they have no accommodation, they also defecate wherever they find a place. Locals are suffering due to such things,” Sequeira said.

He said that now permission will be sought from the Collector to implement this policy.

“Whoever wants to enter Calangute, we will first check whether they have hotel bookings, and only then we will allow them to enter,” Sequeira added.

He said this will help keep the area clean and also curb illegal activities.

“We have identified five spots to set up the checkpoints,” he said.