Glass liquor bottles to be banned on Goa beaches

Panaji, April 24 (IANS) Drinking an ice-cold beer from that frosted green pint glass bottle may soon be a crime on Goa's beaches, a senior police officer said Wednesday.

Goa Director General of Police Kishen Kumar told IANS that drinking from glass bottles on beaches would no longer be tolerated in Goa.

"Would you like to drink in the open? What kind of human beings like to drink on beaches?" Kishen Kumar asked.

The ban follows lobbying by Calangute legislator Michael Lobo, who has been campaigning against the nuisance caused by glass shards scattered on the state's beaches.

"I took up the issue with the tourism department and the police. So many tourists complain about injuries caused by broken glass pieces of beer and liquor bottles on the beaches," Lobo said, advocating ban on glass liquor bottles on the state's beaches.

The tourism department has also asked the police to increase patrolling to check tourists from breaking glass bottles in beach areas.

Goa attracts over 2.6 million tourists annually. The surf, sun and cheap liquor are some of the main draws of the state, which is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country.