The North Goa district administration on Thursday banned sale of alcohol in the border village of Surla, for 30 days, to curb the nuisance caused by tourists, as a result of which women and children from the village are afraid to step out of their homes at daytime.
North Goa Collector Levinson Martins issued the order under section 29(A) of the Goa Excise Duty Act, 1964 and the Goa Excise rules, which shuts down the dozen odd bars, restaurants serving liquor, shops, pubs, provision stores, etc, at the village located around 60 km from the city.
The order says it is aimed at ensuring “total protection to the vulnerable inhabitants of the village, i.e. children and women who are presently living under possible threat of being targeted by the unruly behaviour of drunken youth tourists visiting the village."
Surla has population of around 500 residents, but its location along the border of Karnataka is a vantage point for tourists, especially from the southern State, who flock to the village in large numbers to enjoy the numerous waterfalls of the Western Ghats in the rains and also to buy cheaply available alcohol.
Over the years several drownings and law and order-related incidents have occurred in the forested areas near Surla and the villagers have been struggling to to get their grievances addressed for a long time.
In a signed resolution addressed to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar earlier this month, a large number of villagers, women and students in particular listed the fall-outs of alcohol abuse by tourists, demanding action or to face wider protests.