We will take legal advice and then contemplate further action. I
would like to read it in detail and then yes, we will decide which court we
have to approach. The CM has promised us that they will appeal; they have
promised us all assistance. Shack owners have had problems continuously and it
needs to come to an end. Let’s see what happens but yes it will either be a
court here in Goa or straight away in Delhi. — Cruz Cardozo, President of the Goa
Shack Owners Welfare Society
We have a
deadline of November 15 and then after that we have to go to various
departments like food and drugs, talk to the panchayats before things start
moving again. I don’t see things moving till Christmas. I hope the government
does something and helps us by October. We have talked to the Government and
they have promised us all help. They agree with our argument that these shacks
are temporary structures which are up for a couple of months in a year — Cyril, Shack owner,
Calangute
The Goa
Government’s decision to hike the temporary beach shack’s fees from Rs 60,000
to one lakh is absurd and day light robbery The late Manohar Parrikar used to
hike by Rs 5,000 and now the hike is of Rs 40,000. In fact the shack owners
demanded to reduce the shack fees due to the decline in foreign arrivals and
lack of good business during the past years. Shack owners are also entitled for
government subsidy like fisher folk — Denis, Shack owner in Baga, (name changed on request)
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Now the
government says that unless and until the CZMP is approved and sent to the
central government the NOC for temporary shacks would not be issued. As per the
guidelines of the beach shack, only the unemployed youth would be considered
for Shack NOC. The question that arises is from where will the unemployed
youngsters bring huge amounts of money for a temporary shack? Why can’t the
shack owners can get loan of five lakhs to pay for the licences? — Cajetan Rodirigues, Shack owner Siridao
(name changed ion request)
We are stuck
between the devil and the deep blue sea. We only have temporary structures. Our
staff has come and we are feeding them. I am sitting at home and waiting for
some positive news from the association and the state government. — John Pires, Shack owner Candolim
We are now
going to suffer. It is a big blow to tourism. The spends of the tourists have
declined and the kind of tourists coming here has changed. The numbers are
decreasing and to add to all this, we can’t open our shacks till long after the
tourism season has started. — Minino has a shack in Colva
We will have to
seek legal assistance to sort this problem out. The season is starting in the
first week of October and it would be good if there is a stay on the order. — Seby, shackownerCandolim
The government is partially to blame
for this but so are the people. When Nilesh Cabral ( Goa’s environment
Minister) went around calling for a meeting, they turned it into a rowdy affair
and he was driven away. The people did not listen to what he was saying and the
important job he was doing. He now wants every Panchayat to prepare plans and
they are taking time. Some of them know how to do it others either lack the
expertise or the interest, so everything is delayed. Tourism will be affected
this year. — Savio Messias, President TTAG
