Team Herald
PANJIM/ CALANGUTE: Though Cyclone Ockhi skirted the State and moved further north, another storm is brewing, among shack owners who feel that little has been done to compensate them for the losses, even as the government has termed it a natural calamity and not a State Disaster.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, on Tuesday decided that compensation to shack operators, who faced losses due to the effects of the cyclone, will be decided after a comprehensive assessment by the authorities and that the State government won’t compromise on legal procedures.
The compensation amounts are likely to be declared after eight days, based on the report of the district magistrates.
“The shack operators will be compensated subject to legal procedures and inspection of the affected sites. There would also be physical verification by the respective Collectors, and officials of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and Tourism Department,” Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte said after the SDMA meeting.
The Department has also planned to streamline the functioning of the SDMA. “We have been working on this since long. The system will be in place by January-February 2018. The role of Indian Meteorological Department, NIO, etc will be defined,” Khaunte said.
Affected businessmen have been asked to submit details of losses to the Collectors within two days, which would then be followed by physical verification of the damaged structures and submission of final report to the government. “The North and South Collectors will also take a report from Tourism Department (on the CRZ violations by some shack operators) before disposing of any case. Everything will be decided as per legal procedures,” the minister said. Khaunte also said that grievances of shack operators will be addressed.
The government has refused to
term the calamity as State Disaster claiming the loss is not pan-Goa. “Certain pockets of Goa have suffered damages. It is not a State Disaster but instead is a natural calamity,” the minister said.
Shack owners, however, questioned the attitude of the authorities at the time of crisis and blamed the authorities for the demarcation of shacks. “The disaster management authority of the State is a complete zero. Even three days after the calamity struck there is nobody to see what has actually happened on the shores,” Shack Owners Welfare Society vice president Seby D’Souza said.
Regarding destruction of sand dunes, D’Souza alleged, it is the authorities who demarcate the area. “Earlier we use to touch the vegetation and erect the structures which gave tourists more access to the beach but the authorities tell us to move towards the sea. This gives rise to competition amongst shacks and everyone is moving ahead,” he said.
D’Souza says the government should make sure that all shacks are in line and good space is left on the beach. He said that 80 per cent of the shacks in Goa are either fully or partially damaged. “Two shacks – Sea Waves and Radha’s shack in Candolim – have washed away,” he said.
About the illegalities mentioned by the government, D’Souza said, “Let them come to the ground and see what the reality is and not sit in air conditioned office and make statements.”
He said that this is a natural calamity and nobody can control it. “It was a triple effect that hit us – one was full moon, second the high tide and third the cyclone,” D’Souza said.
D’Souza feels that though there was extensive damage to shacks in his area, he did not face major problems. “People who put sand breakage and stilt shack did not have much of a problem,” he said.
As per preliminary reports submitted by the Collectors, the government has estimated a loss of around Rs 20-30 lakh. In the North, Morjim, Mandrem, Arambol, Calangute, Candolim, and Keri beaches have suffered major loss, while soil erosion was reported in Anjuna and Baga. A retaining wall at Coco Beach in Nerul was also damaged while in the South, six areas in Salcette faced losses and a retaining wall at Hollant, Issorcim was damaged. Almost 60 mtrs of the floating jetty at Baina Beach was also washed away on Sunday.
