Beach shack owners seek licences to run business

Beach shack owners in Goa today warned that they would show black flags during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Goa visit on November 13 to draw his attention towards their demand for issuance of fresh licences for their eateries.
The shack owners are upset that despite the onset of this year's tourist season, the Goa Tourism Department has not issued licences to them, due to which they are unable to run their business. The three-year Beach Shack Policy 2013-16 for erection of temporary shacks ended on May 31, 2016.
Cruz Cardoso, president of Shack Owners' Welfare Society, along with others today launched an indefinite hunger strike at the Paryatan Bhavan, the headquarters of state Tourism Department over the demand.

"We have decided to wave black flags during the Prime Minister's visit to the state on November 13 to protest against Tourism Department's failure to issue fresh licences to beach shacks," Cardozo told PTI today.
"Modi has been speaking about 'Make in India', but he should know what is happening to shack owners in Goa who are self employed people serving the tourism industry. Without the shacks, the tourism industry in Goa will collapse," he added.
He said the department has been citing various reasons and delaying allotment of licences to erect the beach shacks.

Beach shacks are food and beverage eateries that are temporarily allowed to be operated on the beaches. Goa government had recently approved the new shack policy for 2016-19 and the licences were supposed to be allotted according to it.

"The state government takes all the possible steps to ensure that licences for off-shore casinos are granted but when it comes to traditional beach shacks, the government is pointing out towards the difficulties," Cardoso said.
A senior tourism department official today said they had begun the process to allot the shack licences from October 20 onwards, but it could not be completed due to the several clearances required as per the Coastal Regulation Zone norms.
The department was supposed to grant licences for 259 shacks in north and 108 in south Goa.
The Prime Minister will visit Goa on November 13 to lay the foundation stone of Mopa international airport in the northern part of the state.