It may have taken a long time to finally see the light of day, but better late than never. Goa finally has a beach carrying capacity study that now gives everyone an insight to how we are treating our beaches and what needs to be put in place to change any infrastructure, if any. This is a useful tool for many reasons, more so because the shack policy can be based on this study.
Carrying capacity is the term used to describe the maximum number of people that may visit the beach at the same time. Exceeding this number will result in the degradation of the environment, from a physical, economic and socio-cultural aspect. It will hence result in a low quality experience for visitors eventually. In a nutshell, it basically means that allowing more shacks and establishments on the beach will result in more people coming there, which will eventually lead to the destruction of natural resources. Businesses, quality of life and more will suffer if that happens.
The study has drawn up criteria which will determine the number of shacks that can be allowed on different stretches of the coastline. This will definitely help in reducing any unwanted load on certain beaches and help us preserve these coastlines. However, these numbers will be available in the final report that should be out at the end of September. The study also comes up with certain criteria to be followed by shack owners and by the department of tourism as well.
While there are specifications on dimensions, frontage for beach beds, buffers at entrance points and more, what is really interesting is the classification of certain beaches, or stretches of them, as ‘no-go areas’ and ‘no-activity areas’. The ‘no-go areas’ are those beaches that have ecologically sensitive areas. This could indicate the presence of coral reefs, mangrove vegetation, sand dunes or turtle nesting sites. The ‘no activity areas’ are those that have fishing villages and creeks. Beaches with high erosion also fall under these criteria.
Incidentally, although the study states that Goa has a stable coast, it pegs the percentage of erosion at 20.24 per cent. The ‘no-go areas’ and ‘no activity areas’ will actually put a lot of issues to rest. Many of these beaches “ Galgibaga, Agonda, parts of Varca, Cansaulim and Miramar “ need to be protected and hopefully this study will set that in stone.
But, all said and done, identifying problem areas and putting specifications and criteria in place for shacks is one thing. Once the study is out there, the various arms of the government, from the department of tourism to the GCZMA which looks after the state of Goa’s coasts, need to start enforcing the rules and cracking down on violators. Only then will all this actually make any sense.
