This Goa village is charging tourists Rs 500 for clicking photos

Tourists visiting North Goa's Parra village will now be charged for taking photographs of its picturesque landscape. Parra Village, which is the birth place of late Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, has introduced 'Swachhta tax' for the tourists. The fee for clicking pictures of Parra's landscape ranges from Rs 100 to Rs 500.

Parra village's panchayat has put signage which reads, "Swachhta tax or Mission clean Parra Tax will be levied on all film shoots, photo shoots etc. The tax will vary from individuals and commercial".

The signage went viral, after villager Paul Fernandes, uploaded a video of a tourist who was charged Rs 500  for taking a photograph  of his friend at the road lined with coconut trees.

Fernandes told news agency IANS that tourists were made to pay Rs 500 for taking a single photograph along the scenic road. Tourists are getting receipts for the tax after clicking photographs, Fernandes added.

Former Parra's sarpanch Benedict D'Souza also slammed the 'Swachhta tax' . D' Souza said, "This road features in Bollywood and Hollywood films. It is wrong on the part of the panchayat to charge a fee for a photo. If it is a commercial shoot, the panchayat can charge. But such a tax should not be levied on amateur tourists".

However, the incumbent sarpanch of Parra village, Delilah Lobo said the tourists create a mess on the coconut-lined road. Levying tax would cut town nuisance created by tourists in the village. "Indian mentality only understands fines. Therefore we have imposed a fine to cut down on this nuisance caused by tourists," Lobo added.

Film 'Dear Zindagi' and 'Finding Fanny' have been shot in Goa's Parra village.

(With IANS inputs)