Panaji(Goa): Following flak from the opposition and tourism industry stakeholders for creating a sense of alarm over the imposition of prohibitory orders under section 144 earlier this week, the North Goa district administration on Saturday clarified that promulgation of the order was 'routine'.
"General public is advised not to panic as these orders have been issued as a part of the routine for general preparedness," North Goa DM R. Menaka said in a clarification on Saturday.
"The order does not prevent the assembly of more than four persons or such conditions as is being quoted. There will be no impact on tourists, carnival, shigmo and other celebrations," she also said. Carnival and Shigmo are two major traditional Catholic and Hindu festivals respectively.
After Section 144 was imposed earlier this week for a period of 60 days, the opposition had accused the Goa government of creating a 'Kashmir-like' situation in the coastal state by the prolonged imposition of Section 144.
Earlier this week North Goa Administration had issued an order stating that the prohibitory provisions had been invoked due to 'possible terror threats' along the Western Coast and in order to prevent the possibility of 'anti-social elements' committing crimes in the state.
Tourism industry stakeholders had also criticized the imposition of the prohibitory order, saying the development had triggered panic amongst tourists inbound to Goa. Goa's conventional tourism season stretches from October to March.
Menaka in her clarification on Saturday also said that the prohibitory orders were issued only as a precautionary measure, ahead of a tenant verification drive being conducted by the North Goa district administration.
"It is clarified that the order is a precautionary measure only to step up the alertness, essentially to impose tenant verification on all owners of the houses, buildings, flats and other residential accommodation, private guest houses, paying guest accommodation etc., so that the antecedents of all the persons are verified before letting out their premises on lease, rent or on hire basis to such persons," the clarification on Saturday said.(IANS Report)
