FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
Team Herald
MAPUSA: The Department of Tourism, along with the Tourist Police raided several shacks on Calangute beach and confiscated a large number of illegally placed sofas, mattresses, beach beds and other furniture from the stretch.
The team seized 32 sofas, 145 cane chairs, 68 tables, 50 sofa cushions, 63 plastic chairs and four beach beds.
Earlier this week, the Tourism Department had raided the Vithaldas Wada stretch of Morjim beach and seized ten truckloads of beach furniture found encroaching the beach and obstructing the free movement of visitors. However, locals in the area alleged that after the raid, the seized material was returned to the shack owners. Each shack owner is only allotted space for ten deck beds.
Friday’s raid was conducted on the directions of the Director of Tourism. The raiding team was headed by Assistant Tourist officer Milind Chodankar assisted by Tourist Police personnel. Goa Tourism will intensify such measures to curb illegalities on all beaches and tourist places, said Chodankar.
Meanwhile, shack operators have complained that the seizure of their beach furniture is unfair, and affecting their business during a season that has already been quite slow, with fewer than expected tourist footfalls. In a letter to the Tourism Department, the Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS), said that they have always been placing tables and chairs out in the open in the evenings, as tourists insist on dining on the beach.
