MARGAO
If starred resorts along Salcete’s coastal belt are bracing up to do brisk business during the BRICS summit, the two-day event isn’t going to bring any cheers to a certain section of tourism stakeholders from down South “ the water sports operators.
On the contrary, water sports operation business in down South will take a big hit and affect the
earnings of the operators owing to the summit.
In fact, if water sports operations may kick-start in North Goa any time from now, their South Goa
counterparts will have to wait till curtains come down on the two-day BRICS summit on October
16 to receive the green signal from the Tourism Department to start operations this season.
Even as the water sports operators from down south are keeping their fingers crossed over the
commencement of their season this year, with the final NOC still not forthcoming from the Tourism Department, Director of Tourism Sanjeev Desai told The Goan on Tuesday that water sports
operations will not be allowed all along the South Goa coast till curtains come down on the two-
day BRICS summit.
When asked why the final NOC for water sports operators from down South has not been issued
by the department till date, the tourism director attributed it to the decision of the government not
to permit any water sports operations along South Goa coast during the BRICS summit on
security considerations.
“In view of the government decision on security concerns, the Tourism Department will not issue
any permission for water sports along South Goa coast till the completion of the BRICS summit.
NOCs will be issued to the water sports operators from October 18 onwards,” he said.
Replying to a question, Sanjeev, however, pointed out that the Tourism Department will complete
the entire procedure in respect of applications received from the water sports operators during the
next 10-12 days so that there’s no further delay in issuing the NOCs after the completion of the
BRICS summit.
Members of the water sports operators from South Goa were scheduled to meet on Tuesday
evening to take stock of the situation in view of the delay in receiving the final NOC from the
Tourism Department.
“We do not know why the Tourism department is withholding issuing the final NOCs. We have already obtained approvals from the Captain of Ports and the Fisheries Department and we had applied to the Tourism Department, but the final NOC is still not forthcoming from the department,” remarked a water sports operator operating along the Salcete coastline.
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