State tourism department allots 305 shacks

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-09-29
PANAJI- The tourism department on Sunday allotted 305 shacks, both in North and South Goa, out of a total of 556 applications received by it. “As per high court order the allotment of shacks at Cavelossim was kept in abeyance though selection was done,” informed Mr Lyndon Monteiro, OSD to the Tourism Minister, Mr Francisco Pacheco. Mr Monteiro added that everything went off smoothly. North Goa will have 199 shacks while South Goa will have 106 shacks. “At all other places the selection as well as the allotment was done and everything went off as per the policy approved by the state,” he added.
It may be recalled that a Division Bench of the Bombay High Court in Goa comprising of Mr Justice S C Dharmadhikari and Mr Justice R C Chavan had heard a writ petition filed challenging the shack policy released this month, and had asked the government not to finalise the allotment of shacks for Cavelossim.
The petitioners had challenged the policy on grounds that it smacked of arbitrariness and had claimed that they had lost an opportunity to compete for shack allotment on Cavelossim beach, due to alleged unconstitutional shack policy of the government.
The new shack policy was formulated by taking into consideration views of shack owners and also coordinating between different government departments. Sources say that under the new policy for the first time, there will be better co-ordination between different government departments such as excise, electricity, FDA, commercial taxes, police, panchayats and municipalities and health.
The number of shacks and beach beds has been raised this year. Last year, 258 shack licences were granted - 168 in North Goa and 90 in the South. But on ground there were at least 300 shacks with illegal structures seen at regular intervals and no regulatory measures by the government. It may be recalled that there have also been requests from shack owners to put up their structures for longer periods with permanent facility of electricity and water but tourism officials say this cannot happen as CRZ rules do not allow permanent structures.