FDA cracks whip on foreigners selling wares at Arambol

MAPUSA: On Wednesday evening, officials of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) confiscated food items being sold by foreigners at Arambol beach. The tourism department will soon be reporting the matter to the Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRRO).

Tourism director Ameya Abhyankar confirmed this saying, "No permission has been given by the tourism department even though the foreigners are paying sopo to the local panchayat. We are planning to take action and to report the matter to the FRRO for further action. Flying squads have also been deputed."

The action comes a day after TOI reported in its edition dated January 14 that since the start of the tourism season in November 2014, every evening at 5, around 250 foreigners flock to Arambol, not as tourists, but as businessmen/women, sitting in a 300m-long line and selling food items like momos, pizzas, sandwiches, salads, tea, coffee, soups etc, at a spot on the beach they call the "Arambol sunset point".

While business, which goes on till 9pm, is brisk for the tourists from Russia, Israel, China and Nepal, locals operating shacks in the vicinity claime that their business is down by 50%.

Taking cognizance of the TOI report, food safety officers Rajiv Korde, Rajatam Patil and Shailesh Shenvi visited the beach site late Wednesday evening and found four foreigners selling artificial jewellery, food articles and other general items by displaying them on clothes spread on the beach. All the four foreigners were served with unlicensed operation notices and their activities were immediately stopped. These four foreigners were warned of legal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and the Rules /Regulations 2012 if they are found selling goods again.

"The foreigners were directed to obtain all approvals from the local authorities, including holding a business visa, to undertake such activities. As other articles, like artificial jewellery, do not fall under the purview of the FDA, they were not ceased. Only the food items were confiscated," FDA director Salim Veljee told TOI.

Veljee said that other departments like the tourism department and local panchayat should also remain vigilant over such illegal activities.