Panaji, May 30 — Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte announced on Thursday that his department will soon issue a circular advising tourists and locals to verify the safety of locations before visiting potentially dangerous spots in the coastal state.
Khaunte expressed concerns about the influence of social media on tourists’ decisions. “Many times, people are drawn to risky areas after watching videos posted by social media influencers. For instance, an Instagram video of an abandoned quarry filled with water can entice viewers to visit and jump in without understanding the dangers, leading to drowning incidents,” he explained.
To mitigate such risks, the tourism department will launch an awareness campaign through the circular, urging both tourists and residents to check the safety of places before visiting.
Despite Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s previous appeals for people to avoid swimming in deep waters, drowning incidents continue to occur in Goa. In anticipation of the upcoming monsoon season, the district collectors of North and South Goa have recently issued circulars prohibiting swimming in waterfalls, abandoned quarries, rivers, and other water bodies.
These circulars warn that violating the prohibition will constitute an offence under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with disobedience that endangers human life, health, or safety.
