Goa Tourism Department will soon use WhatsApp to rid Goa’s beaches of garbage. Find Beaches dirty? Alert beach cleaning contractor via WhatsApp! Soon citizens will be able to send a WhatsApp message if they locate garbage or litter strewn on any beach in Goa. The WhatsApp message first gets recorded at the Tourism Department after which the contractor gets alerted to take action.
Beach Cleaning through WhatsApp
A WhatsApp number will be announced soon by which citizens can send messages to the authorities about the exact location of the garbage. On being alerted the contractor ensures that the area is cleaned within 24 hours, sending a report to the Tourism Department.
According to the Tourism Minister, this is only an interim till the Government comes up with a concrete plan. The department has been instructed to speed up the tendering process for beach cleaning to be in sync with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s decision to make Goa litter-free by July this year. According to Mr. Parrikar, heavy fines will be levied on those responsible for littering.
Tourism friendly beaches
In a meeting on Tuesday, after reviewing cleanliness and hygiene on the beaches, the Tourism Minister reviewed the status of a project for providing urinals, toilets, changing rooms and other utilities on the beaches. “I am keen to ensure that the beaches in Goa remain clean and locals and tourists are not inconvenienced,” he said. Mr. Azgaonkar also discussed other issues concerning tourism with officials from the department and discussed measures taken to kerb the nuisance caused by hawkers and other unauthorised activities on beaches in the State.
The officials have been instructed to submit a status report within a week’s time. The Minister will thereafter convene a meeting of all stakeholders to put a final plan into action.
Let’s hope that the beaches of Goa are restored to their former pristine self and this is not another beach-cleaning scam!
Picture Credit: Department of Tourism, Goa
Information Credit: The Hindu
