PANJIM: The long wait has turned fruitful to shack operators as they are set to commence the season in the coming weeks. The government, on October 23, issued an order waiving off 50 per cent fees on beach shacks and deck beds for the tourist season 2020-21.
No shack operator had applied for renewal of licence with Tourism Department until the government had decided on the former’s demand to reduce licence and excise fees. On October 14, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led cabinet granted its nod to slash fees by 50 per cent, immediately after which shack owners applied for renewals.
Joint inspection teams expedited the demarcation exercise across the beaches with the process at Mandrem, Morjim and Keri to be concluded shortly.
“We are grateful to the government and the Tourism Department for quick demarcation of beach shacks. In South Goa, the process was completed today (Monday) and I have been informed that demarcation at Morjim, Mandrem and Keri remains but will begin soon,” Shack Owners Welfare Society president Cruz Cardozo told Herald.
As per the beach shack policy for 2019-22, there are 260 shacks permitted in North Goa and 96 shacks in the South district during this period with renewals every year.
With the process nearly complete, shack operators have begun setting up structures along their respective zones. “If shack operators pick up pace to set up the structures, we hope to start the season before November 10,” Cardozo said. The staff that had returned to their home States due to the lockdown in March is also gradually returning, however, the total strength will not be like the previous years.
With thin chances of a good number of international visitors, shack operators are relying on the movement of domestic travellers to break even.
The State is also facing huge competition from neighbouring Sindhudurg district that is likely to start beach shacks from this year. Maharashtra’s Tourism Department, in a bid to revive the tourism industry has taken five major policy decisions, one of which includes setting up shacks across eight beaches on the Konkan coast.
