PANAJI: Within a few days of introducing a “swachhta tax” for tourists, the
Parra
village panchayat has put it on hold. The
tax
was made applicable to tourists either clicking photographs or shooting videos along the iconic road leading to the village church.
Parra sarpanch Delilah Lobo said she wants to seek legal advice as well consult the director of panchayat before proceeding with it.
“I’m meeting lawyers in two days to discuss it. We had imposed tax to stop the nuisance being created by some tourists. As of now, we have withdrawn the tax,” she said.
“A person posted by the panchayat to collect tax was abused by tourists when he approached them,” she said.
Flanked by coconut trees and paddy fields, the stretch shot to fame after it appeared in some Bollywood movies inspiring tourists to stop here to indulge in either photography of video film shooting.
The panchayat took the decision to impose the swachhta tax as a way to deal with drunk tourists and the litter they leave behind. Lobo said that their stopping along the church road to click photographs or shoot videos often disturbed traffic flow. “Also, the place was getting littered by tourists as they often dumped plastic and other waste there,” she said.
Lobo said that she had imposed the tax as upkeep of the place was the responsibility of the village panchayat. However, as Parra panchayat’s move was criticised by some and a video showing tourists complaining about the tax had gone viral, Lobo said they were temporarily suspending the tax as they do not want Goa to get a bad name.