PANAJI
With the State government showing no intention to waive beach shack fees this season, the shack operators will have to shell out at least 80 per cent hike in licence fees amid apprehensions of a profitable year.
The BJP-led government had halved the annual fees for two years in a row to offer relief to the industry that was severely impacted by Covid-19 pandemic. There’s however no relief this season as shack operators in the A and B categories will have to pay up to Rs 2.18 lakh and Rs 1.82 lakh respectively to the Tourism Department.
The government’s non-commitment after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s assurance has disappointed the traders, who were eagerly waiting for the fee reduction.
“The Tourism Minister (Rohan Khaunte) has conveyed to us that the government had already granted relief in the past owing to the pandemic. An increase in licence fee is annual but we expected partial relief this season too as not every shack owner made a profit in 2021-22 tourist season,” President of Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS) Cruz Cardozo told The Goan after a meeting with the minister at the Secretariat, Porvorim on Wednesday. St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar had accompanied the shack operators at the meeting.
The shack operators had paid around 97,000 and 85,000 approx in the A and B categories last year.
The only respite this year is an assurance to slash the increase in fees towards deck beds and garbage collection.
“On request from the shack operators, we have extended the policy by one year since the business was hit by the pandemic. The fee structure is explained. We have met the CM and will look into reducing fees for deck beds. They (shack owners) have also sought waiving garbage fees… The government will help them and vice versa,” he told reporters.
In a recent decision, the government increased the licence fee by about 80 per cent while the tariff for deck beds has gone up from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. The CM was requested to reduce the fees which were agreed upon during an interaction with some shack operators of North Goa, last month.
As only 40 per cent of shack operators have so far put up temporary structures at their allocated sites, the remaining waited for CM’s assurance to turn into a reality, and thus missed the October 3 deadline. Indicating no change in the beach shack licence fee, Khaunte stated that the deadline is extended to November 4.
Cardozo lamented that the licence fee includes Rs 13,000 approx towards payment to Goa Electronics Limited for e-certificates. “How can they charge the fee when GEL does not even maintain our records,” he questioned.
The current season saw a delay as the first charter arrived on Wednesday from Kazakhstan. The first charter from UK, expected earlier this month, was re-scheduled to an undecided date owing to e-visa issues. Several flights have been cancelled from UK and Russia, who top the foreign arrivals spot in Goa. The number of flights from the two countries reduced while other countries are uncertain about the total charters.
In view of the pandemic and lockdown in 2020, the shacks were set up unusually late in November and footfall picked up only in December. They also had to close earlier in March 2021 as Covid-19 cases increased and the industry once again saw thin numbers before restrictions were re-imposed. The last season of 2021-22 was nevertheless better.
