No specific terror alert for Goa: CM

Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Saturday said that there was no specific terror alert received by the state government from central intelligence agencies related to New Year festivities.

Parsekar said that the travel advisory issued by Israel could be generic in nature and not specific to Goa, which is one of the top beach and nightlife tourism destinations in the country.

"In the first place, such routine advisories have become common in recent times. Respective governments feel it their duty to alert their citizens," Parsekar told reporters here, amid reports that Israel had issued a travel advisory for its citizens asking them to be cautious while travelling in South Western India.

"As far as we are concerned, out police department is completely in touch with the central home agencies and there is no threat alert or anything of that kind," he said.

"We are well geared to take care of our tourists... Security has been stepped up in view of the increasing tourism footfalls in Goa," Parsekar added.

The coastal state attracts more than four million tourists every year, with half a million tourists being foreign nationals, most of them from Russia and the UK.

--IANS

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