HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
The village panchayat of Calangute has announced plans to mandate proof of hotel reservations or impose an entry tax on tourists to maintain cleanliness and manage traffic issues caused by visitors who litter the beach. This resolution will be formalized soon and submitted for approval by the district collector. If sanctioned, the rule will take effect in the next tourist season starting in October, exempting local residents.
To curb illegal activities and unsanitary practices by domestic tourists, Calangute panchayat plans to establish five checkpoints to verify hotel bookings before allowing entry. Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira emphasized that tourists camping in open areas contribute to public defecation and other nuisances. The panchayat aims to secure permission from the Collector to implement the checkpoint policy.
Sequeira noted that the decision was prompted by the influx of tourists who litter the beach and leave without cleaning up. “We want our village to be clean to attract quality tourists,” he said, citing Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra as a successful example of a similar tax system.
source : Plunge Daily
