ANJUNA: The Goa Erection of Shacks/Temporary structures on Goan beaches Regulation and Control Ordinance 2023 passed by the Pramod Sawant cabinet a few days before the Lok Sabha elections are to be declared and three weeks before shacks close has left stake holders confused, fuming and a little relieved.
*“Is the ordinance to pacify us who suffered because we were allowed to start in mid December?” asks Severina who runs a shack in Candolim.
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*“Is this an attempt to circumvent the vigilant steps of the High Court,” wondered another shack owner on condition of anonymity.
* “Why should a structure not standing in the monsoons, get TCP permission? I think the government should introduce a one window scheme for all licenses too,” argues Cruz Cardozo , president Shack Owners Welfare Society.
The ordinance passed just before Lok Sabha elections and after the High Court judgment sealing 175 structures under the jurisdiction of Anjuna panchayat, has left locals in Anjuna believing that “the ordinance is brought to make the Delhi lobby happy.”
“Shacks are being let out to people from outside by us Goans. I have received a number of complaints that shacks have been given to outsiders. I requested that a copy of the complaint be given to me and till now, I haven’t received one,” says Cruz Cardozo.
“By letting out shacks to outsiders for fifteen lakhs and more, our own are making a quick buck doing nothing whilst we have to slog. This is not fair and at this moment, I have just heard of the ordinance, but not read the notification,” confesses Severina from Escrivao Waddo in Candolim.
“We are complaining about the government but are unable to point fingers at ourselves. We would not have been in this mess had we not broken the rules set by the government and this is happening mostly in the north,” laments Cardozo.
“ I know of plenty shacks that have been sub leased to people from outside Goa in Candolim itself and no one has stepped forward to complain officially,” adds Cardozo.
“Most of the structures sealed in Anjuna are operated by people from North India. Actually all of them have thrown in big bucks and the sealing order has badly burnt many. For them, bribery is an investment and it piques if there are no returns,” observes a local restaurateur from the north.
From the 175 structures ordered to be sealed, 18 are shacks. From amongst these, 12 had NOC from Anjuna Panchayat and Department of Tourism; one has an NOC from panchayat; two have NOC’s from tourism; and three are temporary tourism shacks.
All 18 shacks have been subleased to outsiders and are adorned with high end club touches. “I do not want to comment on the ordinance as the matter is sub judice for us,” stated Surendra Govekar, panch of Anjuna.
Most locals in Anjuna are aware that all eighteen shacks have been sub leased to people from North India and that all have flouted rules and thus bearing the High Court brunt.
“Do you think the government is trying to buy our votes through this ordinance,” laughs Xavier. “We have made ourselves small,” he laments.
“I think the ordinance is the first step of the government in bringing a proper law during the next assembly. I think by weeding out TCP and panchayats, the government is getting rid of unnecessary delays,” concluded Cardozo.
