Puri: Boozing in public, even in daytime, on the beach here has become a regular affair, thanks to the callousness of Beach police.
The PCR van personnel and security officials deployed at a help desk on the beach have turned a blind eye to the open drinking.
The presence of alcoholics on the beach has been causing inconvenience to tourists for the last several days.
According to locals, some youths regularly visit the beach from Digabareni Square to Swargadwar and take alcohol after purchasing it from a nearby liquor shop. They even attack the local shopkeepers when they raise objections to open consumption of liquor.
“Several groups of youths are using the beach as an open pub. One can find drunken people on the beach from morning till late night. Open consumption of alcohol is creating a bad impression of the Holy City among the tourists. Although the police are quite aware of the situation, they seldom bother to take action against the anti-socials,” said a local shopkeeper.
Locals alleged that a group of drunken people usually gather at a park near Banki estuary in the evening. “Tourists have virtually stopped visiting the park during evening hours due to the presence of boozers,” said a local.
Echoing the sentiment, youth Congress leader Ashis Das said, “Police have failed to take action against those who choose the beach as their preferred destination to drink. They should take immediate steps to maintain the sublimity of the beach.”
District superintendent of police Sarthak Sarangi said patrolling on the beach has been intensified to ensure safety of tourists. “Stern action will be taken against those consuming alcohol on the beach,” he added.