Panjim, April 30, 2016 : Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Goa, Mr. Dilip Parulekar has hailed the decision of the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests for the draft amendment to the CRZ notification of 2011 giving respite to shack operators from dismantling their structures during the monsoons.
Mr. Parulekar said, “This move comes after several recommendations and persistent efforts put in by the Goa government, Tourism department and other stakeholders.” It may be recalled that the Tourism department had introduced revamped shack policy for three years for the first time in history of the state.
He further said, “The decision to allow shack operators to keep their shacks on the beaches even after the end of the season is a big gift from the central government to Goan shack operators.” Mr. Parulekar expressed deep gratitude and thanked the Central Ministry for Environment and Forests and Union Minister Mr. Prakash Javdekar for amending the CRZ notification of 2011 giving this benefit to shack operators in Goa. Mr. Parulekar said that there was a big demand from shack operators in Goa to keep their structures in place at the end of the tourist season and the Goa government through the Department of Tourism has been pursuing this issue vigorously during his visits to the Central Ministries in New Delhi. He also mentioned that this would not have been possible without active support from the Defence Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar, Hon’ble Chief Minister and Mr. Narendra Sawaikar, MP Lok Sabha.
Mr. Parulekar has assured that adequate measures will be taken to ensure that the shack operators follow all the guidelines of the amendment to the CRZ notification of 2011 and has urged the shack operators in Goa to co-operate with the Department in this context. Mr Parulekar also mentioned that the new shack policy for public beach shacks and shacks and tourism huts on private lands would take the CRZ amendment into consideration and that he will be shortly convening a meeting of stakeholders to discuss this issue.
Chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Mr. Nilesh Cabral also said, “Shack operators in Goa had a genuine issue concerning the dismantling of shacks at the end of the season as the same was resulting in huge costs. The Goa government and Hon’ble Tourism Minister of Goa had been working to ensure that such issues are addressed and resolved in the best possible manner. The amendment to the CRZ notification of 2011 by the MoEF will bring cheer to the lot of shack operators conducting business along the beach belt of Goa.”
In Goa, as many as 356 shacks are authorized by the Tourism Department, Government of Goa to operate shacks between October to May. While 258 shacks operate in North Goa as many as 98 shacks operate in South Goa.
The three year shack policy which was successfully executed from 2013-2016 is expected to be reviewed and revised keeping in mind the amendment to the CRZ notification.
The Hon’ble Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr. Prakash Javdekar announced the said proposed of amending the CRZ notification 2011 to media in New Delhi on Wednesday.
