Sat Aug 02 04:31:31 UTC 2025: ## Goa Cracks Down on Tourist Nuisance with Stiff Penalties

**Panaji, August 2, 2025** – The Goa Legislative Assembly has passed a stringent amendment to the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act, aiming to curb public nuisance and unauthorized activities at popular tourist hotspots. The bill, tabled by State Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Friday, August 1st, significantly expands the definition of “nuisance” and dramatically increases penalties for violators.

The Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Amendment Bill, 2025, increases the maximum fine to ₹1 lakh and introduces stricter measures to maintain order and protect the tourism experience. Minister Khaunte emphasized the need for better regulation, particularly to eliminate unauthorized touting, highlighting that the legislation is a “positive step” towards this goal.

The revised definition of nuisance now encompasses a wide array of behaviors including, but not limited to, operating unsafe or polluting boats, aggressively soliciting tourists, consuming alcohol or breaking glass in prohibited zones, unauthorized cooking and littering, conducting water sports or ticket sales from undesignated areas, illegal hawking and begging, operating vehicles on beaches, and selling tourism services for destinations outside of Goa without proper authorization. The law also now criminalizes obstructing tourist movement and engaging in coercive sales tactics.

Under the newly amended Section 10, offenders face a minimum fine of ₹5,000, which can extend to ₹1 lakh. They may also face punishment under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for disobeying a public servant’s order. Furthermore, the bill introduces Section 10A, mandating a biennial review of fines by the government, allowing for revisions of up to 10 percent every two years, based on recommendations from a competent authority.

The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill states that the amendment was deemed necessary due to the increased tourist footfall and the rise in violations that have disrupted public order, degraded the environment, and negatively impacted the tourism experience for both visitors and locals. The government hopes this legislation will promote responsible and regenerative tourism in Goa, ensuring a safe, clean, and enjoyable environment for everyone.

Read More