Centre nods for Goa like beach shacks across coastal states to lift tourism

Shacks are crucial to tourism and local businesses in Goa and Maharashtra and currently, they have to be removed in the monsoon months (June to August)

The Environment Ministry has given a nod to setting up Goa-like beach 'shacks' across all coastal states, reported the Economic Times. The ministry has also allowed the removal of sand bars by the local communities through a non-mechanised manual method but decided against exploratory drilling for oil and natural gas in coastal regulation zones (CRZ) without prior approval, which was introduced under its 2021 proposal. 

According to media reports, the decisions were taken earlier in the week and were part of an amendment to the Island Coastal Zone Regulation and the Coastal Regulations Zone notifications of 2019. The move also aimed to plug some loopholes in the existing law.

Centre's notification now also allows the state governments to decide on the smaller infrastructure projects as was requested by them. These will now include standalone jetties, breakwaters, groynes, salt works, slipways and manual erosion control bunds.

The beach shacks were included in the Coastal Regulations Zone notification of 2011 but were left out of the 2019 order, when the rules were updated. The recent amendment now restores the status of shacks that dot the beaches in Goa, while simultaneously opening up the possibility of establishing similar shacks in other coastal states. 

The ministry has, however, made it clear that the shacks are not to be operated in monsoon months. As per the reports, the notification makes it evident that, 'purely temporary and seasonal structures (e.g. shacks)' can be put up during non-monsoon months and will be non-operational during monsoon.

While all the states were on board with establishing the beach shacks during the consultation process, Maharashtra and Goa insisted on having a four month break during monsoon. Shacks are crucial to tourism and local businesses in both these states and currently, they have to be removed in the monsoon months (June to August).

The green ministry has now made way for their presence throughout the year and across all coastal states- a move, which is expected to boost tourism and the coastal economy. The ministry has also relaxed norms for traditional communities in the area, who will now be able to engage collection of dead shells for poultry and animal feed supplements and will not need prior Island Coastal regulations zone clearances for the same. Coastal land up to 500 metres from the high-tide line and a stage of 100m along banks of creeks, estuaries, backwaters and rivers is called a Coastal Regulations Zone (CRZ). The CRZ rules regulate activities in such areas to protect fragile ecosystems.