KATHY PEREIRA
Yoga and massage may bring physical and psychological benefits to the human body, but along the Canacona coast these activities also bring financial benefits.
Nothing wrong with that except that these financial benefits do not percolate to the civic and panchayat bodies mainly because a majority of the yoga and massage centres are unregulated and operate without licences.
The yoga and massage centres have withstood the general slump in tourism largely because they are still considered a popular activity among foreign tourists. Various yoga centres are heavily advertised to attract tourists visiting the State.
Sources said that many of these yoga centres offer crash courses for a period between 15 and 60 days, with fees ranging between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2.5 lakh depending on the nature and duration of the course.
Asked to comment on details of licences issued, the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) claimed that not a single permission had been granted to operate yoga classes or massage parlours. Agonda Panchayat sources said that only one licence had been issued to an operator of a yoga centre along the village coast.
However, the ground realities at Palolem and Agonda beaches suggest otherwise. Residents have estimated that there are over a dozen yoga centres and/or massage parlours operating along CMC’s coast alone, while around 6-7 similar activities are underway at Agonda.
Lending credibility to their claims are the many display boards prominently advertising not only massage services, but “authentic” yoga courses as well and at a hefty fee. Incidentally, massage services are advertised in many huts/rooms occupied by tourists.
Elsewhere, yoga and massage services are also randomly offered at several of the Khola’s isolated beach coves and other interior coastal locations. Galgibaga and Talpona in Poinguinim and Polem at Loliem are the other hotbeds for the lucrative, but unregulated, yoga centres and massage parlours, sources told Herald.
“The CMC has so far collected Rs 21 lakh from licences granted to 60 shack and 20 hut operators. But the Council has not issued a single seasonal licence for any yoga centre or massage parlour,” said CMC Chairperson Simon Rebello.
When contacted, Canacona Police Inspector Gurudas Kadam confirmed that Canacona police had recently addressed yoga and massage operators, advising them of the necessity to conduct the seasonal trade in a legal manner.
“I have issued written orders to the known operators who carry out seasonal trades at yoga centres and massage parlours regarding the “Dos and Don’ts” of the trade. But, the police cannot simply ascertain the legality or illegality of the operation unless there is a specific case. Authorities concerned should take the call on such activity as yoga instructors and massage operators also need approvals from the health, pollution control and fire authorities,” PI Kadam said.
