PANJIM: The shack operators on Thursday won a hard fought victory as the State government relented and accepted their formula for allocation of temporary shacks for the current tourist season.
After succeeding in compelling the government to scrap the age limit between 18 and 60 years to apply for the shacks, the shack operators again made the government to change the shacks allotment formula.
During a meeting convened by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to resolve the demands of the shack operators following approval of the new shack policy 2023-26, it was decided to allot 10 percent shacks to new comers, 10 percent to those having experience from 1 year to 4 years and remaining 80 percent to those having experience of above five years of running the shacks.
It was also decided to reduce the security deposit from Rs two lakh to Rs one lakh for “A” category beach shacks and from Rs one lakh to Rs 50,000 for “B” category shacks. In the earlier policy, it was Rs 50,000 for ‘A” category shacks and Rs 30,000 for “B category shacks.
Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral, who was present in the meeting agreed to permit to use steel skeletal structures to erect temporary shacks. Others who were present at the meeting were Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, MLAs Michael Lobo and Delilah Lobo, Secretary (Environment) Arun Kumar Mishra, Director of Tourism Suneel Anchipaka, GCZMA member secretary Sneha Gitte and Sanjeev Joglekar, Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS)-Goa president Cruz Cardozo, general secretary John Lobo, treasurer Cyril Silveira and Inas Marian Fernandes and Goan Traditional Shack Owners Association (GTSOA) president Manuel Cardozo and Lawrence Fernandes.
Meanwhile, another meeting is scheduled with the officials of Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) on Friday, regarding provision to be made for scientific disposal of sewage waste by the shack operators on the beaches. Three firms are likely to give their presentation to the shack operators.
