Panaji, June 21 (IANS) The Goa government is all set to artificially illuminate major beaches in Goa, after an assurance that the nesting sites of the protected Olive Ridley turtles would not be disturbed.

 
 In a written assurance to the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court, the state government has assured the division bench of Justice S.A. Bobde and Justice F.M. Reis that those beaches which serve as nesting sites for Olive Ridley turtles would be spared from illumination.
 
 The government was forced to give an assurance after a local NGO, Goa Foundation, said that illumination of all beaches, especially those with turtle nesting sites, would amount to interfering with the breeding habitat of the endangered turtles, who annually waddle up the shore at specific beach locations to lay eggs.
 
 Morjim beach in north Goa, 30 km from here and the Agonda beach in south Goa, 80 km from here, are favoured nesting sites for these sea turtles. The union ministry of environment and forests has already notified these areas as turtle nesting sites and has barred any form of development of these areas.
 
 The Goa government plans to undertake a massive artificial illumination drive along the state’s beaches in the wake of rising crimes, especially against tourists at nights along the coastal belt.