Team Herald
PANJIM: With the High Court order allowing Beach Shack Policy 2019-22 in its possession, the State government is expediting the beach shack allotment process to provide a boost to the ongoing tourist season.
As such, it has preponed the draw of lots for the allotment of 367 shacks to October 17, which was earlier scheduled on October 22.
A public notice published in the dailies states that while for shack operators in the South, the process will be carried out at Matanhy Saldanha Complex, Margao and in the north the same at Paryatan Bhavan, Patto-Panjim.
The notice further states that government has added Mandrem and Morjim to the list of identified beach stretches in Goa for setting up of shacks and other temporary structures. 10 shacks will be allotted in Mandrem and 11 in Morjim.
As per the policy, an approximately 259 beach shacks in the north and 105 in south are permitted on the identified beach areas. The policy also mandates the shack operators to maintain separate dustbins for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste with lids and to hand over the segregated waste to the beach cleaning contractor. In addition, CCTV cameras and portable/bio-chemical toilets have been made compulsory.
The division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Mahesh Sonak in its order last week gave a huge respite to the shack operators by setting aside the order of the National Green Tribunal staying the Beach Shack Policy until finalisation of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP).
The bench, on hearing all the concerned in the petitions filed by State government and Shack Owners’ Welfare Society challenging the NGT order, observed that the temporary structures made of eco-friendly material do not prove damaging to the environment. The GCZMA had submitted that as per the CRZ notification the shacks are made of wood, bamboo and palm leaves, which are not damaging to the ecology. The authorities also submitted that all environmental issues are suitably addressed in the notification.
While disposing of the petitions, the bench further asked the authorities to meet the NGT deadline in finalising the CZMP.
The season has commenced in the State as the first charter flight with Russian tourists onboard landed at Dabolim international airport on October 4.
