PANJIM: The allotment of beach shacks has been delayed further as the newly constituted Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) on Friday decided to physically identify and demarcate the conducive locations for the erection of these temporary seasonal structures along all the beach stretches in the State before granting its nod to the draft Shack Policy 2016-19. The Authority will meet on November 8 to decide on the policy.
The GCZMA chaired by Chief Secretary RK Srivastav held its first meeting this morning wherein they held detail discussion on the draft Tourism Shack Policy for erection of temporary seasonal structures, beach shacks, huts for three years for granting its approval under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification.
Speaking to media persons post meeting, Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) environmental engineer and GCZMA member Sanjiv Joglekar said that the authority has decided to undertake three day long joint site inspection on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and will do physical demarcation for shack erection. “The joint inspection team will decide where shacks will come up in all the beach belts in North and South” he explained.
The inspection team consists of GCZMA expert members, representatives from GSPCB, Department of Fisheries and tourism department. The inspection would be done right from Baga-Sinqurim, Keri-Morjim and canacona to colva and further.
“Once the physical demarcation is done, the shack owners to whom the shacks would be allotted will have to erect their structures within the identified location. Post this, GCZMA will conduct another inspection to see whether the shack operators have abide by all the conditions stipulated in the policy. Thereafter, tourism department would be directed to issue licenses,” Joglekar said.
The official said that the policy cannot be approved without following the due procedure as there is possibility that the same may be challenged before judiciary. “We are following all the due procedures before deciding on the policy,” he said.
The shack operators are up in arms against State government delay in finalizing the shack policy and allotment of shacks accordingly. The operators have already lost 30 days of the tourism season, which commenced on October 2.
The tourism department has already invited applications for beach shacks- 259 in North Goa and 108 in South Goa.
GCZMA member secretary Srinit Kotwale confirmed that the National Centre for sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) is yet to submit its final report on the beach carrying capacity which is to be prepared as per directions of National Green tribunal. “The report is yet to be submitted. Today’s meeting had no discussion on it. We will discuss the matter in the next meeting,” he said.
The carrying capacity report attends importance, as NCSCM in its interim report has recommended buffer zone of 8 meters between the shacks would be ideal on the safety front.
It has also identified 39.26 sq kilometers of area ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) to be marked as ‘No Go’.
The final report will speak about the number of shacks on each beaches can be permitted to ensure there is no damage to local system.
