PANAJI
A day after the legal representative of Curlies beach shack restaurant’s owner Edwin Nunes denied his client is the owner of the establishment, The Goan has laid its hands on a public document that speaks otherwise.
As per Form I & IV, Survey No. 45/19 has four occupants – Anjelina Nunes, Matins Nunes, Edwin Nunes and Linet Nunes alias Linet Lobo.
All are indeed from one family. The details are as per records on August 29, 2022, clearly suggesting Edwin is among the four occupants. The mutation in 2010 was also carried out in his name.
The shack has always remained in the news for the wrong reasons and has still managed to survive all these years. A Google Earth satellite image of May 23, 2003, shows a tiny temporary structure on Anjuna Beach, and Curlies as a spot on the beach.
For a very long time, the structure operated as a temporary seasonal shack every tourist season. In 2008, when the Department of Tourism clamped down on the rampant issuance of shack licenses by Village Panchayats and took over its functioning, the shack was issued its first and last No Objection Certificate for setting up the temporary structure from December 31, 2007, to May 31, 2008.
But things took a turn in Edwin’s favor as Sandip Chimulkar, then Sarpanch of Anjuna-Caisua on July 2, 2008, ‘renewed’ the license of Curlies as a ‘restaurant’ paving the way to operate as a permanent structure. Incidentally, as per the records, the same shack allegedly never applied for a restaurant license, nor had been granted one before the year 2007.
The shack earlier also faced a demolition order for operating illegally in the CRZ zone, after which the operators switched the house number, the allotment of which also came under government radar thereafter.
The shack, currently reeled under fresh controversy owing to BJP leader Sonali Phogat’s murder, is partially sealed for a probe. With Edwin and two drug peddlers’ arrest, the shack is yet again being investigated for promoting drugs.
