City
Epaper

Goa village imposes 'Swachhata Tax' on tourists clicking photos

By ANI | Published: November 06, 2019 7:23 AM

Parra, best known as the ancestral village of late Union Minister Manohar Parrirkar has started charging people for clicking photographs of a coconut palm-lined scenic landscape.

Open in App

Parra, best known as the ancestral village of late Union Minister Manohar Parrirkar has started charging people for clicking photographs of a coconut palm-lined scenic landscape.

Tourists, as well as locals, will have to pay "swachhta tax" or "photography tax" if they click a photograph or shoot video on the road in the village in North Goa.

The imposition of the tax by the Parra village panchayat has been severely opposed by the locals who feel the fee may discourage tourists from visiting the iconic visit.

The matter became a talking subject after a video purportedly showing a group of tourists being charged in Parra went viral on social media. The video was recorded by Paul Fernandes, a local resident.

Speaking to here, Fernandes said he came to know about that the new tax when some of his relatives were charged Rs 500 by the panchayat. "To pay Rs 500 for a photograph is seriously wrong," Fernandes said.

He said: "Nowhere in the country, there is a photography charge. There are scenic places across Goa. If it happens, it will happen in many villages which is not good for tourism."

Benedict D'Souza, former sarpanch of Parra, the panchayat have every right to charge for commercial shoots but it was not fair to charge individuals.

"This road has been featured in many Bollywood and international films. Many tourists come because of the scenic beauty here. This is wrong on the part of the panchayat to charge because it is god-given beauty," he said.

D'Souza said the panchayat was harassing the tourists in the guise of "swachhata tax", adding that it can hit the tourists footfall visiting the village. "When tourists come here, locals, as well as the government, earn revenue," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )

Tags: ParraPaul FernandesNorth GoaBenedict Dsouza
Open in App

Related Stories

FootballFC Goa sign Spanish defender Odei Onaindia

NationalFake call center cheating US citizens busted in Goa

PoliticsDerek O'Brien, Saket Gokhale among six Trinamool candidates for Rajya Sabha polls

NationalBJP chief Nadda chairs regional consultative meet in Hyderabad, key issues among 2024 LS polls discussed

NationalPitted against Himanta, AIUDF red flags UCC's impact on India’s diversity

National Realted Stories

NationalManipur Police rescue minor girl, held accused

NationalCongress again demands removal of Maharashtra DGP for fair & transparent election

NationalAll Employees of Tirupati Balaji Temple Should Be Hindus, Says TTD Chief BR Naidu

NationalAssam online trading scam: Accused hiding information during interrogation, says police

NationalManipur govt to set up memorial for Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing