TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Private shack operators, accompanied by MLAs Michael Lobo and Caetano Silva, pressurised the government to supply them with chemical toilets and relax norms which penalize shacks for sewage treatment on site.
The shack operators and the MLAs met GCZMA member secretary Michael D’Souza, and Science and Technology Department Director Srinet Kothwale and got an assurance from them. The authorities assured to start a survey of the beaches by May to check the number of shacks, their location and other aspects.
The authorities had been forced to act against the shacks after the National Green Tribunal ordered a crackdown on those that did not follow the rules. Till date neither the garbage nor the sewage issue has been sorted out, with the government not taking the initiative to ensure beach cleanliness despite its promises.
The shack licence policy states, “Every shack allottee shall compulsorily provide portable toilet facility, like chemical mobile toilet with inbuilt proper sewage collection and disposal facility. The toilet waste shall not be let out in the beach area. Toilets/lavatories without portable attached collection and disposal units will not be permitted under any circumstances.”
The policy says that
the service provider and technology for such portable toilets will be approved by the department and the toilets will have to be installed within 60
days from such approval, failing which the permission which has been granted
will be cancelled.
