the goan I network
PANAJI
There will be no change in the number of shacks especially along crucial stretches this season despite the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management's (NCSCM) study recommending the reduction in the number of beach shacks along these stretches.
The tourism department has said that, a change in the number, could be in effect from the 2019 season onwards after the current three year policy, which began last year comes to an end.
"This year, the shacks that were last year given a Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) permission to operate for only one year, will have to seek a fresh permission from the GCZMA," Director of Tourism Menino D'Souza told The Goan while confirming that there was unlikely to be a reduction in the number of shacks this year.
The NCSCM study completed last year had recommended the reduction of the number of shacks along two crucial stretches -- Ozran and Baga Sinquerim.
"The number of shacks allotted by the department of Tourism at Ozran should be restricted to three shacks as against earlier allotment of 8 shacks and at Baga-Sinquerim restricted to 188 shacks as agents the earlier allotment of 196 shacks, even though carrying capacity available on Baga-Sinquerim and Ozra based on the internationally accepted principle of 10sq.m per visitor," the study said.
"The study has also not recommended any private shacks along the Calangute-Baga-Candolim-Sinquerim belt which already has 1169 hotels with 11693 rooms/12,460 beds besides in addition 196 shacks allotted," the study further read.
The study also said that the carrying capacity has exceeded only at Coco beach, Vainguinim beach in North Goa and Palolem beach and Agonda beach in South Goa. On other beach stretches the study indicates that there is additional carrying capacity available, however the State Govt. should not allot any additional shacks on the beach stretch and should restrict the no of shacks as provided in the Tourism Policy 2013-16 and adopted for the year 2016-19.
The NCSCM study has also identified several "no go areas" along the State's coastline. Among the "no go areas" includes the Galgibaga beach and the Agonda beach on the account of turtle nesting sites, a small stretch of the Cavelossim beach, patches of the Varca beach, short stretches of Majorda beach, Arossim beach, Cansaulim beach and a part of the Miramar beach on account of the presence of sand dunes.
