TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The government is toying with the idea of granting special permissions for water sports operations in non-designated zones such as Grande and Pequeno Islands off Baina coast, and some other areas. Special permission for monsoon operations of water sports activities may also be considered, subject to safe weather conditions.
“The special permissions may be granted only with prior government approval and subject to various conditions,” said a Secretariat source. It is learnt that during the last two years there has been a big demand for commencement of water sports activities off the Islands.
The Ports Administration has specified that vessels intending to apply for special permissions will have to undergo special inspections and surveys. Likewise only vessels which are found to be sea worthy for water sports activities would be granted the special permission, if the proposal is approved by the government.
It is learnt that fees for such special permits for water sports activities at the specified areas may range between Rs 15,000 and 20,000 per vessel which includes jet skis, speed boats etc.
While the Ports Administration has proposed hike in inspection fees and other fees including issue of NOCs for water sports vessels, it has proposed an increase in fines levied for violation and offences committed by water sports operators.
While fines for operating without valid certificates are proposed to be hiked to Rs 5000, fines for operating outside permitted and designated areas range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 and finally the fine for operating without valid NOC from the Captain of Ports ranges from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.
The CoP has also proposed hike in fines for absence of certified lifesaving equipment, carrying extra passengers and operating without valid insurance. All these fines range from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000. In addition to the fines, suspension of licenses has also been proposed.
According to officials both in the tourism ministry and Ports Administration, the water sports policy for 2012-13 saw an improvement in the water sports operations and very few offences were booked during the past season.
The objective of further tightening the regulations and hiking the fines, it is claimed, will improve the systems and prevent the water sports operators from getting complacent.
