PANJIM: With the tourism season set to begin shortly, private and traditional shack owners met Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Monday, demanding that permanent licences be given to the long-operating shacks and a lottery system be employed to give licences to the newer shack owners.
The traditional shack owners demanded that the issue of erecting shacks on the beach ahead of the tourism season be sorted out quickly, while the private shack owners brought up their grievances as a matter related to them is pending in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and this could put them out of business. They demanded that the government provide them with a senior advocate to represent them in the NGT so as to help them handle their matter properly.
Shack Owners’ Welfare Society president Cruz Cardozo stated that traditional Goan and private shack owners demanded that issues pertaining to granting licences and handling court cases be expedited so their business does not suffer.
“The matter is pending with NGT for private shacks and huts and the licences and NoCs are given by GCZMA, which is the nodal authority and the Tourism Department does not have the authority to provide licenses. There are 290 shacks in North Goa and 100-odd shacks in South Goa,” Lobo told Herald.
The petition pending before the NGT is regarding private shack operators in the Coastal Regulation Zone. NGT had directed the coastal authority to demolish all such private shacks and conduct a carrying capacity of the beaches.
