A beach shack along coast. Picture for representational purpose only.
MARGAO
Firecrackers lighting up the skyline on the occasion of Dussehra was not uncommon to find along the coastal belt over the years as people celebrated the victory of good over evil.
For the shack owners, however, the festival heralds the beginning of the beach shack business and the commencement of the new tourism season.
In fact, beach shack owners look forward to start the business on Dussehra day every year to tap the business offered by domestic tourists, who prefer to celebrate the festivities along the State’s beach side.
Exactly the opposite was seen along the beach belt this year. Leave alone firecrackers lighting up the sky, the beach belt was in darkness.
Reason: The beach shack operators are yet to take shack on the beach belt till date and the most of the shacks may finally return back on the belt around mid-November.
In fact, while the shack operators were busy with shopping and purchases on the eve of Dussehra to stock the shacks with food and beverages, this year, they were holed up in the office of the Director of Tourism trying to resolve issues, including the details of their family members on the affidavit.
As things stand today, the last date to apply for the beach shack ends on October 27. The lotteries will be put in the first week of November before the shacks are finally allotted to the operators. While the small shacks are expected to take shape and start operations around November 10, the bigger ones may see light of the day around November 12-15.
Cavelossim-based beach shack operator and President of All Goa Shack Owners Society, Cruz Cardozo was clear in saying that this is the first time in recent years that the beach shacks will commence businss around mid-November.
“Many of our regular customers, who used to celebrate Dussehra at the beach shacks with families, called us up to find out the ground reality. We were left with no option than to convey the message that the beach shacks are heading for a delayed start this season”, he said.
Cruz sounded categorical in saying that while the High Court had observed that the shack business should commence by September 1 of every year, the shacks will have a delayed start by two and half months. “Beach shack business is an integral part of Goa’s tourism. Starting the season by September 1 is all that the operators look forward every year. We do hope the government would take cognizance of this aspect and start the beach shack allotment process in advance so that the season kick starts by September 1 as per the High Court ruling”, Cruz added.
