PANAJI
In a major safety crackdown exposing deep-rooted compliance lapses in the tourism sector, the Tourism Department has made fire safety clearance mandatory for all tourism-related activities, including shacks, homestays and small operators. The move follows revelations that more than half of the State’s tourism establishments are functioning without a valid Fire Safety No Objection Certificate (NOC).
As per a notification issued by the Department, a Fire Department NOC will now be compulsory for both new registrations and renewals of a wide range of tourism-related activities. These include hotels, water sports operations, temporary huts and shacks on private property, travel agents, adventure sports such as paragliding, spice plantations and homestays.
The notification has been issued as part of a new set of rules aimed at rationalizing and streamlining the mandatory documentation required for the registration and renewal of various tourist services, officials said.
In another significant change, the department has tightened norms for residential properties being used for tourism or commercial hospitality purposes. All residential units, apartments and villas proposed to be used for such activities will now have to submit a NOC from the concerned housing society, resident welfare association, homeowners’ association, a majority (over 50 per cent) of residents, or the builder/promoter, as applicable. This requirement applies to both new hotel registrations and renewals.
Under the revised framework, hotels see one of the most substantial jumps in documentation -- from three documents earlier to seven for new registrations, and five for renewals. This marks a stricter regime for commercial accommodation, particularly on fire safety, third-party insurance and proof of ownership or tenancy.
For temporary (beach) shacks and huts on private property, the revised order expands the list from two to six mandatory documents for new registration, and from one to five in renewals. Some additions mirror the hotel category such as the compulsory Fire NOC.
However, the most noteworthy shift is the requirement of a site plan and an accurate location map, which was previously not mandated.
Applicants must also furnish NOCs from the Coastal Zone Management Authority if the property lies within a regulated zone.
Homestays continue to be one of the least burdensome, but still see their document list rise from two to three for new applications, and one to one (unchanged) for renewals.
The new entrant is the Fire NOC, now mandatory for both new and renewal applications, placing homestays on par with larger establishments for safety compliance. Proof of ownership, already required, stays unchanged.
For deckbed and umbrella operators, the documentation burden remains largely unchanged, with three documents required for new applications and one for renewal.
The requirements continue to centre on proof of identity and proof of address, along with a declaration of being unemployed (for applicants applying under the ‘unemployed youth’ provision). Unlike other sectors, this category sees no new introductions of Fire NOCs, ownership proof or compliance-heavy certificates.
For tourist guide and photography registration, a 15-year residence certificate is now mandatory, with the latter category also mandated to submit a character certificate and police clearance. The noose has also been tightened for adventure sports operators, as the overhaul comes in the wake of fatal fire at Birch by Romeo Lane and revelations of several illegal commercial operations.
