Sun sets on full moon parties as Goa looks to ban public drinking

TOURISTS looking to sample the famously boozy full moon parties on Goa’s beaches may soon find themselves falling foul of the law, as India clamps down on public drinking.

Following a partial ban on public alcohol consumption and intoxication in the western state, Manohar Parrikar, the chief minister, has now said he will issue a notification by next month to end drinking outdoors.

“If someone wants to drink, they should drink inside and not in public places,” he said, adding that the government would impose fines or cancel the licences of liquor shops allowing people to drink near their premises.

Known as a destination for hippies in the Sixties and Seventies, Goa has long been seen as one of India’s most popular tourist sites – matching the beaches of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia for nightlife and cheap living. The area is also popular with Indians who travel to its beach clubs for weekend breaks.

But the decades of partying by spiritually bereft westerners and middle class Indians have taken their toll on the locals and the environment.

Last year, the Goa government banned drinking in select public places and on some beaches.

“Late night rave parties are illegal and it is where drugs are consumed and distributed. [They] should be totally stopped,” Mr Parrikar said last month.

A recent national alcohol ban on any establishment within 500m of a major road or highway has decimated revenues at large hotels and restaurants.

But in April Mr Parrikar demanded that Goa be given special dispensation to be exempted from that ruling. He made the statements at an event to celebrate the birthday of Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister.