Team Herald
CALANGUTE: The unprecented heavy downpour that lashed the State over the last few days has delayed work on most shacks in Calangute-Candolim thereby dampening the spirits of the operators here who were optimistic about starting their business early October.
“We were hoping to start full-fledged operations by next week but have been slowed down to the incessant rains. Gusty winds and the rise in tide line have made more problems and work had to be stalled,” said shack owners.
After the tourism department completed the process of renewing beach shack licences before September 1, upbeat shack owners had been hoping to be in business by the beginning of October, especially after the rains slowed down. Stakeholders had started erecting their shacks after the Ganesh Chaturthi.
“We couldn't do any work on erecting the shacks in the last few days because of the rain. Also the palm fronds for the shack roofs have to dry, besides there is the interior work to be done and shifting furniture at this is just not feasible. All this will take 8-10 days more and that too only if the rain subsides,” a shack owner in Baga said, pointing out that the roof has to be waterproof before they set up the electricity system inside.
“Many shack owners are also waiting for their staff to arrive from north Indian states like Himachal Pradesh, Delhi etc. Most of them will return sometime in October. This is the first time that shack licences have been renewed so early, following demands from beach shack owners. Whoever gets their staff will start their shacks,” John Lobo, General Secretary of the Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS), said.