Goa Tourism launches clean beaches initiative

State Tourism Minister Manohar Asjgaonkar said the government will soon announce a Whatsapp number on which people can send messages, pictures of garbage and filth at a beach site. These messages will be routed to the contractor concerned, who is in-charge for cleaning beaches.

The decision to launch the initiative was taken in a meeting chaired by a Asjgaonkar here yesterday. "As a stop gap arrangement until concrete measures are put in place to ensure cleanliness and hygiene on the beaches, a new 'Whatsapp' initiative is being set up," according to a tourism department press note issued here.

The facility will be monitored round the clock by the tourism department, it said. "The whatsapp number will be announced shortly wherein the general public can use it to connect with the existing arrangement made by the department for the cleaning of beaches," it reads. People can send details of locations where waste is strewn or piled up and the designated contractor will take action within 24 hours and report to the department.

Following a detailed review on the issue of cleanliness and hygiene of beaches, Ajgaonkar directed the department to press into service all interim measures until permanent solutions are worked out in this direction. He also directed the department to expedite the tendering process for beach cleaning works in a time bound manner, the release added.