Panaji, Apr 2 (IANS): Hotels and guesthouses in Goa will lose their licences to operate if they overcharge or force guests and employees stranded in the facilities on account of lockdown in wake of the COVID-19 crisis to vacate, according to the Director of Tourism Menino D'Souza.

In a circular issued to hotels and guesthouses on Wednesday, D'Souza also said that the Tourism Department had received several complaints, which had led to the issuance of the notice.

"We have been receiving several complaints from guests and employees of hotels, who have been stranded and required to stay back at the hotels due to the lockdown imposed in the state due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, that they are denied food and also being asked to vacate the premises or being overcharged," the circular issued on Wednesday said, urging hoteliers to look after stranded guests and staffers in the "unprecedented situation".

"If any hotel, guest house is found violating the above direction, they shall be liable for punitive action, which may entail cancellation of their licence as well as penal action as provided under law," the notice also said.

Goa, a leading beach tourism destination in the country over the last one week has evacuated over 1,000 foreign tourists and is expected to help in the repatriation of 1,000 more international travellers stranded in Goa to their countries. On account of the lockdown several thousand domestic tourists as well as hotel employees, who hail from other parts of India are also stranded.