TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Traditional Shack Operators of Goa Tuesday served legal notice on the government against the Shack Policy of 2013-16 claiming that the proposed allotment process is arbitrary and that they would move the High Court for a stay on its implementation.
Manuel Cardozo, President of the Association said that the allotment process is totally arbitrary as it now makes provisions for two categories, one which gives allotment of 90 per cent for those with more than three years experience and 10 per cent allotment for those with less than three years experience along with new comers.
“This means that 60 people will now compete for 2 shacks in Sauntavaddo in Baga and 31 people will compete for one shack in Umtavaddo in Calangute,” he explained.
“The government should have made the allotment process on the 90:10 module giving 90 per cent allotment for all those experienced irrespective of the number of years and 10 per cent for new comers,” Cardozo said.
He disclosed that since 2009 the allotment was based on 90:10 without categorisation and has worked very smoothly. Earlier attempts to allot shacks on basis of seniority have been struck down by the High Court.
“It is baffling as to why the categorisation system is being introduced again despite Court ruling in this matter,” Cardozo said.
He also added that the association in its legal notice Tuesday has impressed upon the government not to issue licenses for three years and to revert to the old system of issuing licenses with one-year validity only.
Cardozo said that until Monday evening the notified policy was not available on the website of the tourism department nor were the on-line applications available even though media advertisements had announced the same.
In the event of the Traditional shack operators moving the court, it appears that the execution of the shack policy may get delayed. The last date for receipt of applications for shack allotment is September 25.
The TSOA issued the legal notices to the chief secretary and tourism director and are likely to move the court within the next day or two.
Herald was unable to contact any official from the tourism department for a reaction to this latest development.
The Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS) however did not comment on the legal action being initiated over the shack policy.
