The Board has also decided to seek the list of shacks allocated for the ongoing tourism season from the Tourism Department. A team would be also sent to inspect the beach belts to check whether shacks are erected and, if so, whether they have proper consent.
Speaking to media persons, GSPCB Chairman Jose Manual Noronha said that as per NGT order issued in February, last year, Board has no authority to exempt any industry from obtaining Consent under the Water and Air Acts.
Noronha said that directions will be issued to shack operators to apply for consent under Air and Water Act, which is mandatory according to the NGT order. He admitted that though the structures are erected for six months, they cause a lot of pollution through garbage and sewage disposal.
“We will seek a detailed report from the tourism department on the number of shacks allocated,” Noronha said.
The Tourism Department had declined to give new shack licenses in addition to the 337 already granted last year. The licences of the shacks are valid for three years (from 2013-16) according to the beach shack policy. Shacks have already come up along the beach belt, with first charter flight landing in Goa in the first week of October.
With the NGT declaring all small and micro enterprises operating without Consent to operate as “illegal”, the Board had issued show cause notices to 2,343 industries and 2,624 hotels to apply for consent. At the start of the tourism season last year, the Board had also initiated a special drive along the beach belt, making it necessary for shacks and eatery operators to obtain the consent to operate.
