PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the police have been directed to conduct a drive to ensure 100 per cent tenant verification in their jurisdiction as a measure to control crime.

Sawant said people who fail to furnish details about their tenants at the local police station before October 10 will have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000, and a case will be registered against them.

He said the decision about the tenant verification drive was made during a meeting with senior police officers on Sunday, and the step is being taken to control crime in the coastal state.

"There is no doubt that the state police have a 98 per cent crime detection rate, but the fact remains that many people who come from outside are involved in crimes in Goa," the chief minister said.

He said in some cases, police teams have to travel outside the state to trace the accused, and to avoid this situation, tenant verification has been made mandatory.