Goa: Colva turns makeshift bar as tourists mark New Year

Margao: World-famous Colva beach resembled a makeshift bar, literally on New Year's day as tourists and visitors welcomed 2023 with booze.

Tourism Director Nikhil Desai’s circular banning drinking on the beach belt had no takers as the booze flowed freely on the iconic beach. Overnight New Year celebrations continued on Sunday as well as groups of domestic tourists gulped booze as if the government has given an exemption to public drinking on the beach.

After night duty, stretching till the wee hours of the day, to maintain security and law and order, the men in uniform were conspicuous by their absence on the beach on Sunday morning and the booze party continued throughout Sunday.

One could find the visitors descending on the beach with booze and snacks and enjoying the new year festivities without fear of the law in force. In fact, one came across liquor bottles around groups of visitors squatting on the beach belt.

That the world-famous Colva beach played host to a liquor party throughout the night became evident as the shore was littered with empty bottles. In fact, one came across minor boys moving around the beach to collect the empty beer cans littered on the shore.

The Tourism Director had a couple of months ago banned public and open drinking on the beach belt, notifying punitive action against the violators. The circular, however, has remained confined in the record books for want of dedicated police and manpower to enforce the ban across the State beach belt.