TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: With near total confusion prevailing over the tourism department’s single window system for clearing tourist events, the tourism department has decided to issue guidelines in a bid to indicate to which authority specific proposals have to be routed.
An anxious organiser speaking to HERALD said on condition of anonymity, “Last minute exorbitant festival fees are being charged, it is virtually impossible for organisers to conduct such tourism related events.”
“Secondly, different events are being charged differently, why this discrimination?” he asked. This organiser also said, “It is also confusing as to what this single window system has been set up for, because after the State level committee gives the nod we are made to run from one department to another to get separate licences. What then is the purpose of having a single window system?”
Almost two months ago the government had announced setting up of a single window system for streamlining permissions and conduct of tourism related events.
The tourism ministry is of the view that there is an absence of proper guidelines owing to which various kinds of applications are being routed for clearances under the single window system.
“We will shortly draw up and notify the guidelines so that organisers of various events have more clarity on the matter,” said a key tourism ministry official.
While the single window system has so far cleared four events which took place during Christmas and New Year. This year it has cleared one event for carnival.
This official said, “There are several traditional events connected to feasts, festivals and fairs,” adding further that the guidelines would spell out where applications for such events should be routed for permissions. These events do not come under the purview of the single window system.
There would also be differentiation between tourism events, traditional events and conduct of exotic weddings. According to the tourism ministry only smaller events such as weddings conducted on the beach would need to be cleared by the department committee.
The ministry has further pointed out that government tourism events like those conducted during Carnival, Shigmo and other similar events promoting tourism would be exempted from the single window system.
However some organisers of tourism events speaking to HERALD earlier sought to know why the government is not coming clear with its single window policy on fees to be charged in advance.
