PANAJI: To make its famous beaches tourist friendly, the Goa Government will initiate steps to free them from a number of ills, according to Tourism Minister Wilfred de Souza.

The problems that affect the beaches include stray cattle, dogs, Lamanis and children (who are easy pray for paedophiles), apart from drowning deaths, Mr. de Souza said. The Department of Tourism has been directed to take steps to check the problems in view of the tourist season.

According to police figures, in the first six months of the current year, 29 deaths due to drowning at beaches have been reported, as against 48 during last year.

The Government has decided to increase the strength of lifeguards at beaches, which are identified as dangerous by the department.

Police say that tourists who defy the lifeguards posted on beaches and go for a swim at dangerous zones is the major cause for deaths due to drowning. The Tourism Department has been directed to put buoys in the sea to identify the dangerous zones.

The State Government's policy to allow sale of hard liquor at beach shacks is feared to add to the problem of drowning.

On the menace of stray dogs and cattle on the beaches, Mr. de Souza said that the village panchayats in the coastal areas have been directed to impound the stray cattle and the dogs on the beaches.

On the noise pollution by music at night, he said that the Supreme Court regulations on noise must be observed. Referring to the recent verdict of the apex court on this issue, de Souza said that the court praised the Goa Government for being the only government to specify the number of days in a year when the music can be allowed beyond 10 p.m.

The State has identified nine such days in the year and conveyed to the court. The remaining six days will be identified and communicated to the court. Four days of International Film Festival of India would be identified under these, he said.

Mr. de Souza said that protection of children on beaches has been one of the major issues as the State has earned a bad name for the activities of paedophiles among tourists, particularly foreigners, in recent years.

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