PANJIM: The Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS) has urged the State government to waive off the licence fees and other taxes for the current financial year owing to financial loss incurred by the stakeholders as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The association has also appealed to the government to grant shack licences as early as September, one month before the official commencement of the tourist season in the State.
“We do request that for the coming season in view of the difficulties caused to us and the most likely fall in the coming tourism season, the collection of tourism licence, and other fees for shacks, some beds including excise fees for the year 2021-22 be waived. We are requesting to issue us licences in the month of September 2021 for the erection of beach shacks without any delay,” said SOWS President Cruz Cardozo.
The association, in its letter to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar and others, said they are not demanding financial assistance from the government as it is aware about the difficult financial situation of the State.
The last two seasons 2019-20; 2020-21 had been tough for the stakeholders owing to several reasons while the world is hit by COVID-19 pandemic since last year.
