In a bid to sensitise tourists from venturing into the sea during rough weather, especially monsoons, the Goa Tourism Ministry has roped in tourism industry stakeholders to start an awareness campaign among beach-goers about the perils of reckless, drunken swimming.
"The Goa government has appealed to the tourism stakeholders i.e. hotels, guest houses, restaurants, taxi and tour operators, shack operators, water sports operators to sensitize tourists whom they come in contact with from venturing into the sea in unsafe conditions," Ajgaonkar told reporters here.
While an advisory banning swimming during the monsoons still in force, the government has asked tourism stakeholders to caution tourists not to venture into the sea under the cover of darkness as the beaches are unguarded after sunset. "Caution is also to be given against venturing into the sea after consumption of alcohol or in an inebriated state," said Ajgaonkar, who has already said that the government was in the process of coming up with a law banning drunk swimmers from venturing into the sea.
Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country and attracts upwards of six million tourists every year. The state also has engaged the services of a private firm, Drishti life Services, which marshals the state's coastline with life-guards.
However over the last few days, a string of drownings, including the death of two young girls from an Ahmedabad-based institute, who went out swimming in the wee hours of Thursday, has put the question of the safety of tourists vis a vis swimming on beaches back in the spotlight.
"Creating awareness among tourists of the necessity that they follow the present advisory as despite the best efforts there have been some unfortunate incidents of drownings which have taken place after sunset and after consumption of alcohol," Ajgaonkar said.
Tourism department sources also said, that top tourism department officials are likely to meet their counterparts from the law department next week, to formulate the law to ban drunken swimming.