Team Herald
PANJIM: Clearing a major deadlock in the shack allotment process, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) on Tuesday granted its approval to the Tourism Department’s Beach Shack Policy 2016-19.
GCZMA, chaired by Chief Secretary RK Srivastav met Tuesday evening, wherein following the site inspection report on the beach carrying capacity, it accorded its nod under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification to the Shack Policy.
“After detailed discussion and deliberation, the Authority has approved the beach shack policy 2016-19. The policy will now be placed before the cabinet for approval,” sources said.
During the meeting, National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) made a brief presentation on the beach carrying capacity.
NCSCM has recommended a buffer zone of 8 metres between the shacks for safety reasons. It has also identified 39.26 sq kilometers of ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) to be marked as ‘No Go’.
The Authority at its meeting on November 4 had decided to physically identify and demarcate the conducive locations for the erection of these temporary seasonal structures along all beach stretches in the State before granting its nod to the policy.
The inspection team had consisted of GCZMA expert members, representatives from GSPCB, Department of Fisheries and Tourism Department. The inspection would be done right from Baga-Sinquerim, Keri-Morjim and Canacona to Colva and further.
“The inspection team has done physical demarcation of the areas where shacks would be erected. Around 360 shacks have been identified for the season,” sources said. GCZMA is likely to meet again on November 15 to decide on the private shacks.
Shack owners strike called off
PANJIM: All Goa Shack Owners’ Welfare Society (SOWS) called off the indefinite chain hunger strike on Tuesday after an assurance by the government following GCZMA clearing the government’s existing shack policy till 2019.
Speaking to Herald, SOWS President Cruz Cardozo said, “We have called off the indefinite chain hunger strike after the government gave us an assurance that the allotment will be done on November 11 and also GCZMA clearing the shack policy till 2019.”
“After a series of meetings with the Chief Minister, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and Director of Tourism, the government agreed to announce the shack policy tomorrow in the cabinet and approve it and then announce the allotment of shacks on November 11,” he added.
