Villagers of remote village of Surla in the North Goa-Karnataka border, 70-80 km from here, have demanded the closure of bars and alcohol shops due to harassment by drunk tourists and picnickers visiting the picturesque waterfalls in the surrounding Western Ghats forests, especially during monsoons.
Sarika Gaonkar, sarpanch of Thana-Dongurli village said on Monday she had received a proposal from the residents of Surla village and a decision would soon be taken by the panchayat.
“A resolution demanding closing down nine bars and alcohol shops has been signed by the villagers,” said the sarpanch. Simultaneously, in a signed resolution addressed to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday, many local residents as well as students, listed the fall-outs of bars and alcohol vends in their border village.
“Unruly and highly inebriated groups of tourists block roads and in general cause unbearable and inexcusable nuisance and disturbances. The drunken tourists also resort to obscenity, singing and dancing in the open in a semi-nude condition with only their underwear on. There have been cases where they’ve passed lewd comments and disturbed young girls and women of the village who go about their routine chores,” the representation said.
The tiny village has a population of about 400-500. Tourists, especially from Karnataka side flock to the village in large numbers in the rains in particular, and also to buy alcohol which is available at cheaper rates on account of low liquor taxes in Goa. Consequently, in village, there is a class of people which is benefitted by the tourist arrival while the larger community has to bear the brunt, according to some educated villagers who choose to remain anonymous.