The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority’s (GCZMA) delay in finalising the crucial beach carrying capacity report drafted by National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), over last one month, has become a major hindrance in granting permissions to the private shacks and huts for the ongoing tourism season, which commenced in October.
The NCSCM submitted its interim report in August recommending a buffer zone of 8 metres between the shacks and identified 39.26 sq kms of area ecologically sensitive areas (ESA) to be marked as ‘No Go’.
In its final report submitted in November, the NCSCM did not favour granting more beach shacks along Calangute-Candolim-Baga-Sinquerim coastal belt as it already exceeded carrying capacity. However, notwithstanding the report, the GCZMA based on recommendation of the Tourism Department granted permissions to shacks on this belt for the current season.
Highly placed sources confirm that the GCZMA has asked for corrections and changes in the NCSCM report, post which only it will be accepted.
However, both the reports have not spelled out anything concrete on the temporary structures in private properties.
