the goan I network
CANACONA
The All Goa Private Property Shacks and Huts Owners Association (AGPPSHOA) has advised all tourism stakeholders in Agonda to remove their beachside tourism structures earmarked for demolition and restore the beach coast to its original condition.
During a meeting in Agonda late Sunday evening, AGPPSHOA president Dharmesh Saglani appealed to all tourism operators who have erected tourism structures to dismantle them, if they want to be part of the tourism trade in future.
“All the licencees/non-licencees who have received GCZMA demolition notices are advised to remove their structures, especially by demolishing the concrete bases and walls, if they are interested to continue in tourism trade in future years.”
“The association will not back you or come to your rescue, if at any time authorities initiate any action against you, if you are not cooperating to follow GCZMA orders and do not restore the land to its original self,” Saglani reportedly told the gathered tourism operators.
“The association will not protect shack operators in case of any illegal structure and it will be solely their responsibility,” cautioned Saglani.
Incidentally, some local tourism operators complained that a few luxury resorts even had swimming pools and had stopped removing their structures, after initially dismantling them.
“Is this because some top politicians are part of the tourism trade along Agonda’s shore,” confronted a disgruntled tourism operator, who despite having a GCZMA license had completely brought down all his tourism structures.
With about 51 GCZMA licencees operating hundreds of tourism structures along Agonda beach, many have been accused of having concrete/cement floors and permanent structures, while hundreds of others have conducted tourism trade on Agonda shore without any permission.
Most of these structures have also been accused of either obtaining power supply by unscrupulous means or have illegally tapped power connections in connivance with electricity officials.
