TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Over 60 per cent shacks and huts on private property are likely to face flak for non-payment of registration fees for this season, while the association members have threatened to move the court over injustice meted out to them right from the implementation of the new shack policy for 2013-2016.
“The licenses and registration fees are so high that our members are unable to pay the same,” president of the Private Shack/Hut Operators Association Darmesh Saglani said on Friday.
Reports emerging from the Tourism department is that barely 150 out of the 400 structures shacks/huts in private property have paid the registration fees for the season forcing the department to issue show cause notices during the last couple of days.
What has irked private property shack/hut operators is the alleged injustice done to this section through the levy of exorbitant fees. “To make matters worse the fees are being charged and licenses issued for one year only, while shacks on the beach are permitted for three years,” Saglani said.
He also decried the disparity in registration fees for shacks/huts in private property and for starred hotels in the State.
The association is also aggrieved over imposition of additional fees for those operators wishing to extend the size of their shacks/huts in private property beyond the prescribed dimensions.
“All these issues are bothering us and have been since the shack policy was out last year,” the association chief said adding that despite assurances that the fees would be reduced and other issues tackled, the government has not made any amends.
“On the contrary our members are being issued notices at the fag end of the season,” Saglani said adding that there was no other option but to challenge the shack policy in court.
This season registration fee for a/c huts was hiked to Rs 5,000 and for non-a/c huts Rs 3000 with an equivalent amount as deposit. The license fees for shacks in private property have been hiked to Rs 15,000 and security deposit is Rs 20,000.
