Shack operators have already started erecting shacks along the beach belt of Baga to Sinquerim, in anticipation of a steady flow of tourists.
The tourism department has permitted shacks to operate along the beach belt of Baga to Sinquerim and the department officials had demarcated the area for shacks for the upcoming tourism season.
Shack operators have stated that only a few who have strategic locations have begun erection of shacks, while at the same time getting their workers by flights as trains have not yet started in some areas of Jharkhand and Orissa.
Further, they have said that those who are dependent on foreign tourists will not erect their shacks at this point of time given that chartered flights have not yet started and erection of a shack takes a minimum of Rs 3 lakh.
One shack owner stated he is taking a gamble by erecting his shack as the tourism season looked bleak this year and hopes to get Indian tourists to visit his shack given that it’s at a strategic location. Further his main workers are from Jharkhand who have not yet come and he is starting operations with only a few workers from the neighbouring states.
John Lobo, General Secretary of All Goa Shack Owners Welfare Association said that he has started erecting his shack which is near Toto’s and has booked flight tickets for his workers, for which he will pay only 50% of the amount and the rest will be deducted from their salaries.
He further stated that the shack owners’ files are not yet being cleared by the tourism department but the department has given permission to start erecting shacks which will take around 15 days. The tourism department has waived off 50 per cent of the fees and Lobo hopes that the files will be cleared.
Meanwhile, the work on demarcation for erection of beach shacks in North Goa has begun, whereas the work in South Goa is yet to commence.
According to the tourism department, staff members in South Goa, who were appointed for COVID duty, have yet to be relieved, and will most likely start shack demarcation work by next week.
The tourism department began the work of demarcating shacks on beaches in North Goa wherein three teams are involved in the work.
Staff members of the two teams for South Goa were deployed by the South Goa Collectorate for COVID duty, thus causing delay in the process in the South Goa district.
An official from the department of tourism in Margao said that the staff members would most likely be relieved of their COVID duty this week and the work of demarcation of beach shacks will begin next week.
This year, South Goa is expected to have 100 shacks along its coastline.
An official stated that when the staff members were relieved from their COVID duty, the process of demarcation could begin, which will take a week to complete.
The official also informed that an initial inspection of the beaches in South Goa was also conducted.
“Earlier this week, we undertook an inspection of all the beaches in South Goa to check about the water levels, and whether the existing conditions are okay to put up the shacks. We found that most beaches were okay except for Utorda beach where a creek has begun to develop. In such a situation, we will speak with the shack operators and ask for their opinion as well,” said the official. Meanwhile, shack operators are also looking forward to the completion of the demarcation process as soon as possible, and are looking to open their shacks by Diwali.
“We have faced a lot of problems this year because of COVID, but we are now ready to start our shacks. The demarcation work in North Goa is almost complete but in South Goa it is on hold. With the festive season coming, especially, Diwali and then Christmas and New Year, we are hopeful that we will be able to get our business up and running. We request the department to complete the demarcation work and help us to start fast,” said president of All Goa Shack Owners Welfare Society Cruz Cardozo.
